Smoky Pasta Salad
Cuisine: Fusion
Author: Anita Edge
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 35 mins
A flavorful and versatile pasta salad with a distinctive smoky taste that blends well with the green chile flavor. Add various veggies for more variety.
Ingredients
  • 8 oz pasta
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp Ranch Dressing mix
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 3 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1½ cups diced red or green bell pepper
  • ½ cup mild or medium diced green chiles
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional: sliced olives, 2 cups small broccoli florets, steamed
  • garnish: set aside some of the cilantro, green onions and bacon for garnish
Instructions
  1. Cook and drain pasta.
  2. While pasta is cooking, cook the bacon until crisp, then place the bacon on paper towels to drain, leaving bacon fat in the skillet.
  3. Sautee mushrooms and garlic in the bacon fat until thoroughly cooked.
  4. Blend the mayonnaise, Ranch Dressing mix, liquid smoke and green chiles.
  5. In a large bowl or saucepan, blend the pasta with the mayonnaise mixture, then stir in the mushrooms and bell pepper. Set aside 1-2 tbsp of the green onions and cilantro for garnish and stir the rest into the pasta salad.
  6. Crumble the bacon into the salad, setting aside some for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. If desired, stir in sliced olives and small steamed broccoli florets.
  8. Top with more bacon crumbles, cilantro and chopped green onions and serve either hot or cold.
Recipe by Denver Green Chili at https://denvergreenchili.com/recipes/main-courses/noodles-pasta/smoky-pasta-salad/