Taco Pasta Salad

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Makes

4 servings

Updated: Sep. 07, 2023
My family loves this savory taco pasta salad. Serve taco or corn chips on the side, and you have a complete meal. —Gert Rosenau, Pewaukee, WI

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 3 cups shredded lettuce
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing
  • Tortilla chips

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning; cool.
  2. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into meat mixture. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing; toss to coat. Serve with tortilla chips.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • Sharp cheddar cheese has been aged longer than regular cheddar. As cheese ages, its flavor becomes more pronounced. Using aged cheese in a recipe can add complexity and rich flavor, even to humble favorites like mac ’n’ cheese.
  • Using lean ground beef instead of beef that’s 80% lean saves 45 calories per 4-ounce serving of beef. Lean ground beef is also 29% lower in saturated fat.
  • Check out 30 other salads ready in 30 minutes or less.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 serving: 624 calories, 30g fat (12g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 1454mg sodium, 55g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 3g fiber), 33g protein.