Description
This easy Taco Pasta Salad combines bold Tex-Mex flavors with a creamy, crunchy twist. Perfect for summer potlucks or weeknight dinners, this taco pasta salad recipe features seasoned beef, rotini pasta, black beans, veggies, and Catalina dressing, topped with crunchy nacho chips.
Ingredients
1 pound rotini pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup Catalina dressing
1 cup crushed nacho cheese chips
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rotini pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning and a splash of water, simmer until thickened.
3. In a large bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, red onion, romaine, and shredded cheddar cheese.
4. Add the cooled pasta and taco meat to the bowl. Toss with Catalina dressing until fully coated.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle with crushed nacho cheese chips for crunch. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Always add the lettuce and chips just before serving to keep them crisp.
Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe celiac-friendly.
Let the salad chill for 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boil, Sauté
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 45mg