Taco Pasta Salad

There are a hundred directions you can go in with pasta salad. This recipe heads toward the southwest, taking Tex-Mex taco ingredients—seasoned ground beef, chopped tomatoes, onion, shredded cheese and shredded lettuce—and mixing them up with spiral pasta to make taco pasta salad.

Cold taco pasta salad is great, but you can also serve it warmed slightly. It’s perfect both for a quick summer dinner and for a party-worthy buffet snack. To make it a pasta salad for a crowd, you’ll want to double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients for Taco Pasta Salad

• Pasta: Spiral pasta is best for this taco pasta salad; it can grab all the goodies in its nooks and crannies. You can also substitute gluten-free pasta, but the noodles may be more likely to dry out.
• Ground beef: Just like in classic taco recipes, ground beef is the main protein here. It’s sauteed and seasoned before being mixed with the pasta and other ingredients.
• Taco seasoning: To get that classic taco taste, you need to buy one of the best taco seasoning brands. Store-bought taco seasoning is the ingredient that brings it all together, so don’t skip out!
• Shredded lettuce: Shredduce (as it’s known to its biggest fans) is another classic taco ingredient. Iceberg lettuce makes the crispiest shredduce.
• Cherry tomatoes: This recipe is a great way to use up that pint of leftover cherry tomatoes. If you don’t have any cherry tomatoes, use a regular tomato and dice it up.
• Cheddar cheese: Bagged shredded cheddar cheese makes this fast meal even faster.
• Onion: You’ll need to finely chop an onion for this recipe.
• Green pepper: Green pepper adds a pop of color and texture. Use yellow, red or orange peppers instead, if you prefer.
• Catalina salad dressing: This taco pasta salad recipe calls for Catalina dressing, a ketchup-based dressing similar to French dressing. Use store-bought dressing or make your own at home.
• Tortilla chips: Serve your favorite brand of tortilla chips alongside the taco pasta salad.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta and the meat

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles with a spoon as you go. Drain the grease. Stir in the taco seasoning and let the ground beef cool.

Step 2: Toss the pasta salad

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When the pasta is done, drain it and rinse it with cold water to cool it down. Stir the pasta into the seasoned ground beef. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing. Toss the pasta salad well to coat everything in the dressing. Serve the taco pasta salad with tortilla chips.

Taco Pasta Salad Variations

• Top it with the chips: This taco pasta salad calls for chips on the side, but it’s just as delicious when you crumble the chips on top instead.
• Change up the chips: Doritos are a favorite chip to eat with taco pasta salad, as are Fritos. Both go well with the Mexican flavors.
• Make a creamy version: For a creamy version, try adding a dollop each of mayonnaise and sour cream to the pasta and mix it all together well before adding the meat and other ingredients.

How to Store Taco Pasta Salad

Store your taco pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Make sure to store the chips separately so they don’t get soggy. We don’t recommend freezing this dish; the texture will turn out poorly once thawed.

Can you make taco pasta salad ahead of time?

This is a great dish to make ahead. Make it from several hours to four days in advance; just make sure to store the chips separately so they don’t get soggy.

Taco Pasta Salad Tips

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Do you need to rinse pasta for taco pasta salad?

When you cook pasta for pasta salads—including this taco pasta salad—you’ll want to rinse the pasta with cold water when it’s done cooking so that it cools down quickly. Otherwise you risk overcooking the pasta and turning it gummy.

What mistakes should you avoid when making pasta salad?

This recipe is easy-breezy, but don’t skip any of the steps or it won’t be as tasty. The two most important tips are to avoid overcooking the beef so it doesn’t dry out, and to rinse the pasta when it’s done cooking.

What can you serve with taco pasta salad?

Serve your taco pasta salad with some Mexican street corn or a cilantro lime slaw. It also goes well with any of your favorite potluck recipes or Tex Mex recipes. Serve this with a side of chips and guacamole to round it all out.

Is sharp cheddar or regular cheddar better for this taco pasta salad?

Sharp cheddar, which has been aged longer, is a great way to add some complexity and richness to your taco pasta salad. If you don’t like sharp cheddar or don’t have any, mild cheddar is the classic way to go.