Taco Pasta Salad

This easy Taco Pasta Salad combines pasta, taco-seasoned meat, iceberg lettuce, black beans, and veggies. A homemade creamy chili-lime dressing is the perfect complement to this salad.

Taco Pasta Salad

It’s no secret my obsession for tacos runs deep; from these meatless Healthy Tacos to Shrimp Tacos to this Chicken Taco Salad to Taco Bowls and about 30 other taco recipes in between, there are a lot of taco recipes on this website. So, of course, there was a need to combine tacos with a pasta salad.

Enter: Taco Pasta Salad.

I’ll say it right now: This is not your typical taco salad, loaded with store-bought Catalina or French dressing, crushed up chips, and packaged Cheddar. While I’m all for using shortcuts and purchased dressings when it makes sense, I’ve just never been a fan of those types of taco salads in the past. To be fair, it’s most likely because I’m not a huge fan of commercial Catalina or French dressings, and always find myself craving a more “homemade” taco salad. 

That’s how this salad came to be. It has taco-seasoned ground beef, thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, black beans, veggies, fresh herbs, and… the most crave-worthy creamy chili-lime dressing.

Taco Pasta Salad tips

• Use textured pasta. Choose pasta that has plenty of nooks and crannies to hold that delicious chili-lime dressing. If you can’t find bowtie pasta, I recommend miniature shells, rotini, or fusilli. 
• Don’t use all the pasta. Most pasta salads call for an entire box of pasta, so it’s easy to go on autopilot and fix the whole box. However, this recipe calls for only 3 cups, so make sure to measure that out before boiling the pasta.
• Salt the pasta water. Since this pasta is eaten cold, the flavors tend to get muted. Make sure the pasta is well-salted as it cooks since salting is the only chance you have to season the actual pasta. Don’t be afraid to add more salt to the finished dish if it needs it. Read about how to properly salt your pasta water here. As a general rule of thumb, I add 1 teaspoon salt to 4 cups of water.
• If you have time, make the dressing in advance. This dressing improves if it’s made in advance and chilling in the fridge; the flavors meld together and intensify, plus, it’s just better chilled! 
• Assemble this salad right before eating. This is not a pasta salad that sits well with the dressing. The dressing wilts the lettuce quickly, giving it an unpleasant texture. If making in advance, store salad separately from dressing and combine the two right before eating. Only dress what will get eaten the same day. 

QUICK TIP

 Since Taco Pasta Salad is a bit more involved than similar recipes (we’re making a homemade dressing), I call for a packet of taco seasoning in the recipe. That said, if you’ve got extra time or would prefer homemade, I have a go-to recipe to replace the taco seasoning packet.

Here’s the recipe to make your taco seasoning from scratch:

• 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
• 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, ground paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon beef bouillon powder (optional)

Stir the seasonings together and use in place of the taco seasoning packet when cooking the ground beef.

Recipe notes

• Corn. If you’re using frozen corn, I’d recommend letting it thaw and then cook in a dry skillet to slightly char it. For fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob and add straightaway to the salad, or you can grill it first. To see grilling directions, follow the directions in this Elote recipe.
• Lettuce. I use iceberg lettuce in this salad, since it’s the type of lettuce found in most tacos; feel free to swap it with romaine lettuce if you prefer. If this pasta salad is going to sit in the dressing for a bit, I’d recommend leaving out the lettuce entirely. It wilts very quickly with the dressing. One other note with the lettuce: make sure it is 100% dried before adding it in; otherwise, it makes the dressing watery. I love using a salad spinner to thoroughly dry lettuce.
• Make this recipe healthier. With a few swaps, you can ramp up the nutrition in Taco Pasta Salad. I recommend making the homemade taco seasoning mix listed above, swapping lean ground turkey or chicken for ground beef, and using fat-free sour cream in the dressing.
• Add some crunch. If you’re craving something crunchy or a tortilla texture in your salad, feel free to add in some crunchy tortilla strips — either homemade or from the store. 

More pasta salad recipes:

• Italian Pasta Salad with an Italian-inspired vinaigrette
• Asian Pasta Salad with a sesame vinaigrette
• Pasta Salad with a two-ingredient dressing
• Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad with a creamy dressing
• Greek Pasta Salad with a Greek-inspired vinaigrette

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Taco Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes

- Review this recipe

This easy Taco Pasta Salad combines pasta, taco-seasoned meat, iceberg lettuce, black beans, and veggies. A homemade creamy chili-lime dressing is the perfect complement to this salad.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Taco Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

This easy Taco Pasta Salad combines pasta, taco-seasoned meat, iceberg lettuce, black beans, and veggies. A homemade creamy chili-lime dressing is the perfect complement to this salad.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Chicken Taco Pasta Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10 as a side (4-6 as a meal)

Calories 583kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $5.54

Ingredients

Dressing

• ▢ 1/3 cup full-fat mayonnaise
• ▢ 1/3 cup sour cream (can use lite or fat-free)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice + 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin and garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH ground chili powder, paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce or sriracha sauce
• ▢ 1/4 teach each: fine sea salt and pepper

Salad

• ▢ 3 cups farfalle/bowtie pasta
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound (16 oz.) lean ground beef
• ▢ 1 package (1 oz.) taco seasoning mix
• ▢ 3 cups iceberg lettuce
• ▢ 1 small red bell pepper, (~3/4 cup) chopped into small pieces
• ▢ 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• ▢ 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (~3 onions)
• ▢ 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
• ▢ 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup frozen or fresh corn, thawed or cut off the cob (See Note 1)

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• DRESSING: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• PASTA: Prepare the pasta according to package directions (don't cook all the pasta; only use 3 cups!). Make sure to generously salt the water (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups of water). Don't forget to salt the pasta water or the whole salad will taste under-seasoned. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, let cool and allow to dry.
• GROUND BEEF: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add in the beef and cook, crumbling as you go, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any fat as needed. Add in the taco seasoning and stir until coated. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• SALAD ASSEMBLY: Stir together the cooled pasta and cooled beef mixture, lettuce, chopped peppers, quartered cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions, finely chopped cilantro, drained and rinsed black beans, and corn (See Note 1). Gently toss to combine.
• DRESSING: Give the dressing another quick stir and then pour over the salad. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust any seasonings to personal preference, adding more salt and/or pepper as needed. Enjoy immediately!
• STORAGE: Salad is best enjoyed soon after being dressed; it does not sit well with the dressing.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Corn: If using frozen corn, I recommend letting it thaw and then cooking in a dry skillet to slightly char it. For fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and add straightaway to the salad, or it can be grilled first. To see grilling directions, follow the directions in this Elote recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings | Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 834mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2601IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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