Listen, if tacos and pasta salad had a baby, this would be it. You’ve got seasoned ground beef, tender pasta, and all those taco flavors tossed together in a creamy dressing that makes every bite hit. While coming up with this recipe, I discovered the cruncy tortilla chips on top are the perfect touch! I've made a ton of pasta salads over the years. I have so many recipes, and this one always gets scraped clean.
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Taco Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta: rotini, farfalle (bow tie), and penne work great.
- Ground Beef: I use ground beef because it gives the salad the perfect taco feel, but you can use ground turkey, grilled chicken, fully cooked rotisserie chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
- Diced Tomatoes and Chilies (Rotel)
- Onions
- Ranch Dressing
- Sour Cream
- Homemade Taco Seasoning or store-bought
How to Make Taco Pasta Salad
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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- Cook the pasta in accordance with the instructions on the package.
- Use the same pot used for the pasta or use a skillet and place the pot/pan on medium-high heat. Add the diced onions.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground beef.
- Cook until the beef is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Add all of the spices/seasoning and diced tomatoes and chilies. Stir.
- Add the sour cream (or yogurt) and salad dressing to a large serving bowl.
- Add in cooked pasta, ground beef, and grated cheese. Stir to combine.
Taco Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- ½ cup diced onions I used red onions.
- 15.5 oz canned diced chilies and tomatoes Drained.
- 1 cup grated cheese Cheddar, Cheddar Jack, or Monterey Jack Cheese.
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼-1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
- shredded lettuce
- tortilla strips or crushed chips
Homemade Taco Seasoning (You can also use store-bought seasoning blends if you wish).
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper Optional for spicy.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in accordance with the instructions on the package.
- Rinse the pasta in cold water and dry completely.
- Use the same pot used for the pasta or use a skillet and place the pot/pan on medium-high heat. Add the diced onions.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground beef.
- Use a meat chopper or spoon to break down the ground beef. Cook until the beef is fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
- Add all of the spices/seasoning and diced tomatoes and chilies. Stir.
- Add the sour cream (or yogurt) and salad dressing to a large serving bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add in the cooked pasta, ground beef, and grated cheese. Stir to combine. Taste repeatedly and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper as necessary.
- Top with lettuce, tortilla strips, and any of your other favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
It can sit out 1-2 hours. It takes about 2 hours for bacteria to start to grow to dangerous levels. In warm temperatures, that time shrinks. You can read the Food Safety Guidance from the FDA here. If you're serving pasta salad at an event or picnic, consider keeping it chilled in an insulated cooler with ice packs to maintain a safe temperature.
If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the salad can last for about 3-4 days. However, the quality will likely start to decline after the first day as the pasta becomes softer.
If you plan to reheat the dish or save leftovers, I recommend storing the pasta separate from the ground beef. I personally prefer warm ground beef with a chilled salad. I also recommend storing toppings like lettuce separate as well. Add your toppings when you serve the salad.
If preparing the salad in advance, add the ingredients for the dressing just before serving to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much moisture and becoming dry. This will help maintain the creamy consistency of the salad.
If the salad seems dry after refrigeration, add a little more ranch and/or sour cream (plain Greek yogurt) and gently toss to coat. Avoid adding too much dressing at once to prevent the salad from becoming overly wet.
Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits in the fridge. If the salad looks a little dry later, just stir in a spoonful or two of extra dressing, sour cream, or a splash of milk to loosen it back up.
Absolutely. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or even shredded rotisserie chicken all work well. Just season the meat with taco seasoning so you still get that classic taco flavor.
Let the beef cool somewhat. If you add it hot, it can wilt the vegetables and make the dressing separate. Cook the beef, drain the grease, then let it cool before mixing it into the salad.
It’s usually served cold or chilled, but you can serve it slightly warm if you prefer. Just keep in mind that ingredients like lettuce, sour cream, or creamy dressing should be added to your ingredients that are already warm.
You can freeze it, but I wouldn’t recommend it. In general, ranch, yogurt, and sour cream do not freeze well and usually develops ice crystals.
More Salad Dressing Ideas
- Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing: Mix ranch dressing with pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a smoky, spicy kick that pairs well with the taco-inspired ingredients. Check out my Southwest Salad Dressing recipe.
- Salsa Verde Dressing
- Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Taco Sauce: Use store-bought or homemade taco sauce as a quick and easy dressing option.
- Sour Cream and Salsa: Mix equal parts sour cream and salsa for a simple yet delicious dressing that provides creaminess and tanginess with a hint of spice.
More Substitutions and Vegetables You Can Add
- Homemade Guacamole
- Homemade Queso Cheese Dip
- Bell Peppers
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Avocado
- Jalapenos
- Olives
- Cilantro
- Lime
More Salad Recipes
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Seafood Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Crab
Salmon Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
Street Corn Pasta Salad
You may love our Cheeseburger Tacos recipe.
Sherene says
I love a taco night and taco pasta salad might be my new second favorite. Putting taco ingredients together with pasta is brilliant. This was easy to pull together and the toddler approved. I skipped red onions and added black beans and avocado. Also jalapenos for the adults. For "dressing" I mixed 1/4 cup taco sauce, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1/2 cup sour cream (and I doubled the recipe). Will be making this again!
staysnatched says
Nice!