This Taco Pasta Salad is a simple yet tasty combination of al dente pasta, taco-seasoned meat, crisp iceberg lettuce, black beans, and fresh vegetables. It’s topped with a homemade chili-lime dressing that adds a perfect zesty touch.
Taco Pasta Salad
I have a deep-seated love for tacos, which is evident from the wide range of taco recipes on this site, including everything from Meatless Healthy Tacos to Shrimp Tacos to this Chicken Taco Salad to Taco Bowls. Hence, the creation of the Taco Pasta Salad was almost inevitable.
Introducing: Taco Pasta Salad.
This isn’t your typical taco salad loaded with commercial dressings like Catalina or French, crushed chips, and packaged cheddar. Those have never quite appealed to me, primarily due to my preference for more homemade flavors over store-bought dressings.
This inspiration led to the creation of this salad, combining taco-seasoned ground beef, crisp iceberg lettuce, black beans, veggies, fresh herbs, and a standout creamy chili-lime dressing.
Ingredients In Taco Pasta Salad
Dressing Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise and Sour Cream: Provide a creamy base for the dressing.
- Lime Juice and Zest: Add freshness and a tangy citrus flavor.
- Ground Cumin, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, Paprika: Contribute warmth and depth.
- Hot Sauce/Sriracha: Offers a spicy kick.
Salad Ingredients:
- Farfalle/Bowtie Pasta: Acts as the carbohydrate base, adding texture and substance.
- Olive Oil: Used for cooking the beef, adds richness.
- Lean Ground Beef: Provides protein and is seasoned with taco seasoning for a savory taste.
- Taco Seasoning: Infuses the beef with a bold, Mexican-inspired flavor.
- Iceberg Lettuce, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onions, Cilantro: Add crunch, color, and freshness.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Bring juiciness and a touch of sweetness.
- Black Beans and Corn: Together, these add a combination of protein, fiber, and a sweet crunch, enhancing the salad’s heartiness and texture.
How To Make Taco Pasta Salad
- Dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Pasta: Cook farfalle pasta as per package instructions, salt the water generously. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let it dry.
- Beef: In a skillet, heat olive oil, cook ground beef until browned, then drain fat. Stir in taco seasoning and cool to room temperature.
- Salad Assembly: Combine cooled pasta, beef, chopped lettuce, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, halved cherry tomatoes, black beans, and corn in a bowl.
- Finish: Pour dressing over the salad, toss gently, and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.
Quick Tip
Taco Pasta Salad uses a homemade dressing and a packet of taco seasoning for simplicity. For a homemade alternative, mix together 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp each of cumin and paprika, and 1/2 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, with an optional 1/2 tbsp of beef bouillon powder. Use this mix instead of the packet when seasoning the beef.
Tips For Success
- Choose Textured Pasta: Use pasta like bowtie, miniature shells, rotini, or fusilli that can hold the chili-lime dressing well.
- Measure Pasta: Only use 3 cups of pasta, not the entire box.
- Salt the Pasta Water: Salt the water well while cooking the pasta to enhance flavor, as cold pasta can taste muted. Adjust salt in the finished dish if needed.
- Make Dressing in Advance: Prepare the dressing beforehand for better flavor and chill it.
- Assemble Just Before Serving: Combine the salad and dressing right before eating to prevent the lettuce from wilting. If prepping ahead, keep them separate and dress only what you’ll eat immediately.
More Pasta Recipes:
Taco Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large pan
Ingredients
Dressing
Salad
- 3 cups bowtie pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (1-ounce) package 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 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn or fresh corn, thawed or cut off the cob, see note 1
Instructions
- Zest and juice limes to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice. Combine zest and juice with all other dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions (don’t cook all the pasta; only use 3 cups!). Make sure to generously salt the water or the whole salad will taste under-seasoned (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups water). Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, let cool, and allow to dry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add in beef and cook, crumbling as you go, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any fat as needed. Add taco seasoning and stir until coated. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- 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.
- Give the dressing another quick stir, then pour over the salad. The salad does not store well after being dressed, so only add to what you will be serving. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust any seasonings to personal preference, adding more salt/pepper as needed. Enjoy immediately!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a great summer dish! Thanks to the note about the dressing, we didn’t dress the whole dish since we knew we’d have leftovers. The change I’d make for my fam in the future is to omit the lettuce until we got ready to eat. Add the lettuce to the bowl/plate, then add the pasta salad to that. No more wilted lettuce in the leftovers. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make the dressing, a chipolte ranch from the grocery store also pairs well with it!
So thrilled to hear this! Love the tip on the lettuce! Thanks so much! 🙂