Bring the flavor and festivity to any meal with this perfectly dressed crowd pleaser. This vibrant taco pasta salad blends all the ingredients of a classic taco salad (without the lettuce) with a creamy Mexican-style dressed pasta and a bit of crunch for a delicious twist on a standard picnic favorite.
I enjoy all sorts of pasta salads any day of the week: caprese pasta salad, salmon pasta salad, tuna pasta salad, dill pickle pasta salad etc. but this taco version is my favorite choice for Taco Tuesday.
This taco recipe starts with cooked and cooled al dente pasta, which is much simpler than it sounds. You can choose any kind of short-cut pasta you prefer, but curly shapes like fusilli or rotini allow for a nice even coating of sauce. Tube shapes like penne or large macaroni also work well.
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Taco Pasta Salad Ingredients
- lean ground beef - For a less greasy salad, make sure to use lean ground beef.
- taco seasoning - Taco seasoning usually consists of chili powder, paprika, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder.
- dry short-cut pasta - Such as rotini or macaroni.
- red and green bell peppers - Bell peppers of any and all colors fit this recipe and you can even add a small jalapeno for a little kick.
- canned black beans - Drain and rinse them well.
- black olives - Drained and sliced.
- red onion - While white onions are often milder, red onions add a little extra sweetness and bite.
- cherry tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes are sweet and juicy and when quartered, they are the perfect size for this salad.
- cheddar cheese - Shredded.
- fresh cilantro - If you don't like cilantro, leave it out.
- tortilla chips - You can use plain or choose your favorite Doritos flavor like zesty cheese, ranch or sweet chili heat (my favorite).
- mayo - This makes a nice and creamy base.
- sour cream - To cut through the mayo a bit and add some tang.
- hot sauce - This is optional.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Recipe Tweaks
- Do you like a chicken taco? Add some cooked, diced chicken breast or ground chicken instead of the ground beef.
- Add a bit of ranch dressing in place of some of the mayo or sour cream.
- The vegetables in this salad couldn't be simpler, but you can always adjust for taste. Stick to the recipe or swap in a couple of your favorites like corn or avocado, perhaps. This pasta salad is made without lettuce, but some people prefer to add it.
- For a mellower flavor all around, sauté the onions and peppers in the hot pan after browning the beef. Keep in mind that doing so will take away any crunchy bits from the salad.
- To remedy this, simply crumble spicy Doritos over the top for some exciting added crunch.
How to Make Taco Pasta Salad
Step 1. Make the Taco Meat. Brown the beef in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Take the pan off the heat, add the 2 tablespoons taco seasoning to the beef and mix well. Set aside.
Step 2. Cook the Pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
Step 3. Make the Sauce. Mix the dressing ingredients together and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 4. Combine. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and beef with the rest of the ingredients. Add the dressing and mix well.
Step 5. Serve. You can serve right away or cover and chill for later. Garnish with chopped cilantro when serving. If desired, you can also crush some tortilla chips on top (when serving) to add some crunch.
Serving Suggestions
- While this pasta salad is hearty and can be eaten as a full lunch or even dinner you might want to consider some side dishes: try grilled corn on the cob, guacamole, white cheddar nacho cheese or Mexican tortilla soup.
- Assembling this easy taco pasta salad is half the fun! Add your favorite hot sauce to the dressing for a signature flair.
- Serve cold with zesty lime wedges for some citrus kick.
Top Tip
A great tip for making this Mexican pasta salad is to make sure the pasta is cooked to al dente. This prevents the texture from becoming too soft and mushy when mixed with the other ingredients and dressing.
Recipe FAQs
The pasta should be cooked al dente. 'Al dente' simply means tender, but not too soft. Taste and test your pasta often, then drain as soon as it is soft enough to bite. Then you rinse the pasta with cool water to stop it from continuing to cook and to rinse the starchy coating off.
Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
More Delicious Taco Recipes
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📋Recipe
Taco Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3 cups dry short-cut pasta - such as rotini or macaroni
- ½ cup red bell pepper - diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper - diced
- 1 cup canned black beans - drained and rinsed
- ½ cup canned black olives - drained and sliced
- ¼ cup red onion - diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - shredded
- fresh cilantro - chopped (to garnish)
- tortilla chips - (optional)
For the Dressing
- 1 cup mayo
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce - optional
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Brown the beef in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Take the pan off the heat, add the 2 tablespoons taco seasoning to the beef and mix well. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta and beef with the rest of the ingredients. Add the dressing and mix well.
- You can serve right away or cover and chill for later. Garnish with chopped cilantro when serving. If desired, you can also crush some tortilla chips on top (when serving) to add some crunch.
Notes
- ‘Al dente’ simply means tender, but not too soft. Taste and test your pasta often, then drain as soon as it is soft enough to bite. This prevents the texture from becoming too soft and mushy when mixed with the other ingredients and dressing.
- Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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