Bacon Cheddar Ranch Salad is a crowd-pleasing salad that’s sure to satisfy, has the perfect crunch, and is easy to throw together.
The veggies in this salad make it refreshing for a hot day, and the crowd-pleasing ingredients make it a hit with any meal. For more Salads, try my Cobb Salad and Cucumber Tomato Salad next.
Why You’ll Love This Salad?
- While you could serve this as a side, it is substantial enough for a main dish with its crispy bacon, rich cheddar cubes, and creamy ranch.
- This is quick and easy to assemble, and makes for a convenient meal whether lunch or dinner.
Sabrina’s Bacon Cheddar Ranch Salad Recipe
When it comes to favorite flavor combinations, bacon and cheddar always top the list. With this Bacon Cheddar Ranch Salad, you’ll love this duo even more. This is the perfect salad to enjoy for a simple lunch or dinner with family. Feel free to chop up some leftover Baked Chicken, and add it to the mix, or serve alongside Hamburger Soup for the ultimate soup and salad meal. And you don’t have to stop with the ingredients in the recipe. Make it your own by reading the Variations section.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 6 cups romaine lettuce , chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes , halved
- 1 english cucumber , sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese , cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup Ranch dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl layer lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bacon and cheddar cheese.
- Pour ranch dressing over salad (if you would like it slightly thinner add 1 teaspoon of milk or water at a time and stir for desired thickness).
- Season with black pepper.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
Wait to add the ranch until just before serving so the romaine stays crisp and fresh. And if you have the time, click the link in the recipe to make your own ranch dressing from scratch. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and oh so delicious.
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
You can prepare everything separately, and add the dressing when you’re ready to eat. For the best results, keep the veggies separate from the cheese and bacon as well. For the maximum freshness, I wouldn’t prepare this more than a day in advance.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave this salad out for more than a couple hours, or it will start to wilt.
- Store: If you have leftovers, you can cover the dish in plastic wrap to store in the fridge overnight. Much longer than that, and the veggies won’t be as fresh. If you know you’re going to have leftovers, leave the ranch on the side. The lettuce will stay crisp longer without the dressing.
Variations
- Seasonings: I finished this recipe off with black pepper, but you can try other kinds of spices at the end. Garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, or dried basil would all pair well. Make sure you aren’t too heavy handed with the seasoning and spread it evenly.
- Tomatoes: If you don’t have grape tomatoes, juicy cherry tomatoes are the best alternative. But, you can also use Roma tomatoes or fully sized diced tomatoes.
- Vegetables: For more vegetable variety in your colorful salad, add diced red or green bell pepper, shredded carrot, or shredded cabbage. Use other kinds of lettuce like iceberg, butterhead, or Batavia lettuce. Finely chop green onions, and sprinkle them on after adding the dressing.
- Cheese: Swap the cheddar cheese for shredded pepper jack, Monterey jack, gouda, provolone, blue cheese, or Swiss.
- Additional protein: Make this a complete meal by adding leftover turkey, steak, seasoned ground beef, or hard boiled eggs.
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