Taco Pasta Salad

I hope you’ll enjoy this taco pasta salad as much as I do. It’s an excellent dish to serve at barbecues, potlucks, and picnics alike. Give it a try today!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Salads

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Additional Time: 2

Total Time: 2 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 766kcal

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

16 ounces rotini pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
½ green bell pepper diced
½ red bell pepper diced
4 green onions chopped
15 ounces sweet corn drained and rinsed
15 ounces light red kidney beans drained and rinsed
12 ounces Catalina dressing
1/2 cup Tortilla strips or crushed Dorito for garnishing

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta, al dente, according to package instructions. Do not overcook.
Drain and rinse pasta with cool water. Allow pasta to continue draining in strainer while you prepare remaining ingredients.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain if desired.
Add taco seasoning and water (according to packet instructions) to the ground beef.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, while stirring, until sauce is thick and the meat is seasoned. Set aside and let cool.
Once the meat is cool, add to a large bowl. Combine with cooked pasta, corn, tomatoes, beans, peppers and onions. Toss gently to mix.
Slowly pour the Catalina or French dressing over the mixture. Toss again to coat the ingredients. Chill before serving.
When ready to serve, top with colorful tortilla strips, chips, sour cream, or shredded cheese.

Notes

This is a great make-ahead recipe, as the taco salad only becomes more flavorful as it sits.
Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Give a quick stir before serving leftovers. Leave tortilla strips off until ready to serve, so they don’t get soggy.
Add any of your favorite taco toppings.
It’s best to cook pasta to al-dente, or the minimum amount of time recommended on the package.
Serve chilled or room-temperature.
Skip the dressing and add salsa instead.

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