Cheddar Ranch Pasta an Easy Pantry Cleanout Recipe

dana vento

When I have a little time on my hands I organize and clean out our pantry.

Spring cleaning and Fall stock-up are my 2 big pantry cleanout times.

In the spring, I lighten the number of stored foods, because we are barely home.

Conversely in the Fall, I prep for baking season, so there are ingredients wall-to-wall.

Today, cleaning out my pantry is part of my routine as I am looking for a lost can of an ingredient I need for a different recipe and I KNOW It is in here.

Cleaning out my pantry serves as inspiration for meals and creative recipes.

Eye-spying pasta, and packets of other ingredients, I am stirred up to create a pantry cleanout recipe.

I am about to unveil my cheddar ranch pasta which is actually a very popular pantry cleanout recipe in ur home.

Being honest, I think my kid's plant packages of my secret cheddar sauce that makes this meal outstanding.

While they will neither confirm nor deny this notion, I'd lay odds I'm right!

You figured out that this pasta dish is fantastic and super easy to create, right?

Cheddar Ranch Pasta uses minimal ingredients and proffers a big taste!

Do I have to Use What You Used For Cheddar Ranch Pasta?

The short answer is NO, you do not have to use exactly what I used.

However, the taste may be vastly different.

Since you have never sampled this meal, you have no basis of comparison, so yours will taste great.

But, for those that are sticklers about following a recipe, you will want my ingredients.

Does this challenge you even more?

Here's the thing, the products I am about to share with you are items you SHOULD have in your pantry.

I consider each item the 'catch-all' when it comes to needing a boost of flavor or a change in texture in my recipes.

One thing you need to understand is that when you clean out your pantry it is like you are consuming a FREE MEAL.

There's no grocery trip involved and you are using up ingredients that may otherwise go to waste.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Additional Time 5

Total Time 25

Course Recipes

Cuisine pasta

Servings 4

Calories 372 kcal

Ingredients

A pound of pasta whatever is in your pantry: penne, ziti, rigatoni, linguine, etc boiled and drained.
1/2 C of Butter sorry not a pantry item
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1/2 Large Onion yellow, white, whatever you have
A packet of cheddar Cheese powder mix from Mac and cheese
1 Good Season Garlic and Herb Salad Dressing Seasoning
1/4 C Water
1/4 C Ranch Dressing
4-5 Tablespoons of Bacon Crumbles
Optional 1/4 C Cooked Peas if you have some left in the freezer

Instructions

Prepare pasta according to directions.
In a 3 or 4-quart saucepan, place butter, garlic, and onion.
Cover, and allow butter to melt while the garlic and onion will soften and enhance the flavor.
Once the butter melts, add in water.
Next, add in garlic and herb seasoning mix.
Mix well. Continue to stir on medium-low heat.
Add Cheddar cheese mixture and stir well.
Turn off heat and allow ingredients to combine and sit for about 2 minutes.
You will notice it thickens a bit.
By this time, the pasta should be cooked.
Drain, and place in large serving bowl.
Add the ranch dressing to the pasta.
Then add in the stovetop cheese garlic herb blend.
Mix well.
Top with bacon crumbles.
Optional (add cooked Peas)
Serve.