Cook 1 pound rotini noodles per the directions on the back of the box. Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Make sure it drains very well after rinsing.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons dried ranch seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
In a large bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, 10 ounces frozen peas and 8 ounces ham, small diced.
Add the dressing and stir until everything is coated in the dressing. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour so the flavors can mingle.
Give it a good stir before serving.
Video
Notes
Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
You can serve this right away, it is delicious, but I recommend allowing it to chill for about 1 hour. If you eat it right away, it tastes a little mayonnaise-y so you want those flavors to mingle.
Milk can be substituted for the buttermilk; however, it will no longer taste like a copycat recipe.
This is out-of-this-world good, I just love the flavor combination. It doesn’t taste like ranch really, it just gives a fantastic flavor to the overall dish.
Updated to add: current Ruby Tuesday employees tell me the pasta salad now has diced green peppers as well. So feel free to add in one diced green pepper if you enjoy those.
You can add the peas from frozen, they will thaw in the pasta salad and help make it extra cold.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing.