Bold, creamy, smoky, and packed with burger vibes — this pasta salad takes everything you love about a smash burger and turns it into a cold, crave-worthy BBQ-style bowl. Perfect for cookouts, meal prep, or anytime you want something seriously loaded.
🧾 Ingredients
🍝 Salad Base
3 cups pasta (elbow, rotini, or shells)
1 lb ground beef (smash burger style)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
🧀 Mix-ins
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded or cubed)
1/2 cup pickles (chopped)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/2 red onion (finely diced)
4 slices crispy bacon (crumbled)
🥣 Voodoo Ranch Sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
2 tbsp mayo
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp hot sauce (Texas heat 🔥)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
👨🍳 Instructions
1. 🍝 Cook the pasta
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and let cool completely.
2. 🍔 Cook the beef
Sear ground beef in a hot pan with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder until browned and slightly crispy. Let cool.
3. 🥣 Make the ranch sauce
Mix ranch, mayo, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika until smooth.
4. 🧀 Build the salad
In a large bowl, combine pasta, beef, cheddar, pickles, tomatoes, onion, and bacon.
5. 🔥 Add the “voodoo” magic
Pour sauce over everything and mix until fully coated and creamy.
6. ❄️ Chill & serve
Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes for best flavor. Serve cold.
😋 Description
Texas Voodoo Ranch Smash Burger Pasta Salad is a wild mix of juicy beef, crispy bacon, tangy pickles, and creamy ranch sauce tossed with pasta. It’s smoky, rich, and built for people who love bold, messy, over-the-top flavor.
❓ Question
Would you eat this as a BBQ side 🥗 or a full meal 🍔?
