Taco Pasta Salad
Complete any summer meal with this zesty, creamy, and hearty Taco Pasta Salad! It makes a filling main dish or versatile side, a go-to recipe for backyard BBQs, summer holiday get-togethers, pool parties, and more. Easy to make in less than 30 minutes with everyday ingredients!
Ingredients
Taco Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces small pasta shapes rotini, small shells, wagon wheels, etc.; roughly 2.5 cups
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup sliced green onions
- ⅔ cup sliced black olives
- 1 avocado pitted and diced
- 1 cup baby tomatoes halved
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix without dressing
Taco Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or chicken
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
Taco Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning + more to taste
- 2 teaspoons lime juice + more to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions in heavily salted water. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool.
- While the pasta cooks, make the taco meat. Add the oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground meat and cook for 4-5 minutes, crumbling as it cooks, until cooked through.
- Add the taco seasoning. Stir and cook for 1 minute or until the mixture is combined and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing, sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning, and lime juice until well combined.
- Add the cooled and drained pasta, cooled taco meat, cheddar cheese, green onions, black olives, avocado, baby tomatoes, and shredded cabbage to the pasta salad dressing.
- Gently toss the salad until combined and coated in the dressing. Season to taste with additional taco seasoning, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Notes
Storage Directions: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing it.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Recipe Variations. Add spice by stirring in or garnishing the salad with jalapeño slices, swap Monterey Jack or Mexican shredded cheese blend for a more dimensional cheesy flavor, add up to ⅓ cup chopped cilantro for a citrusy and herbal finish, or stir in black beans, corn, sweet peppers, crushed Doritos, tortilla chips, or iceberg lettuce.
- Cook the Pasta in Salted Water. Doing so seasons the water, enhancing the pasta's flavor. I recommend adding 1-2 tablespoons of kosher or coarse sea salt to for every half gallon of cooking water.
- Cool the Pasta Completely. After straining, rinse the hot pasta with cold water until it is cool to the touch. Adding hot pasta to the dressing can cause it to absorb too much of the dressing, making the pasta salad mushy and dry.
Nutrition
Calories: 471kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 22gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 730mgPotassium: 534mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 675IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 1mg
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