Recipe: Creamy Ranch & Veggie Pasta Salad

Summary: I’m not really into pasta salad. Right, that’s out! But the other day Mr Ask fancied one and I got thinking about what would be nice and what was in the fridge. I came up with this and I was pleasantly surprised! This has a nice sweet and tangy thing going on and the cheese added a sort of retro vibe. Mr Ask was really into it too. I do mention peas in the recipe but you won’t see them.  That’s because Mr Ask is iffy about peas, which is sad because I love them. So that cup of peas went into the serves I ate…..

• 250g dried short pasta
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup peas, defrosted
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream, lite is ok
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise, lite is ok
• 1 tblsp ranch dressing mix

1. Cook the pasta to packet instructions, in lots salty water and  drain. Toss in a little olive oil (garlic oil is lovely) to prevent sticking, place in a large salad bowl and refrigerate until cooled.
2. While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing by mixing the sour cream, mayo and ranch mix together. This gives the spices a chance to hydrate and allows the flavours to develop. You can also prep the other ingredients while the pasta is cooking/chilling.
3. Once the pasta has cooled, add the veggies, cheese and dressing to the bowl and stir to combine. Chill for at least 30 mins before serving.