Easy Taco Pasta Salad

Easy Taco Pasta Salad brings taco-seasoned ground beef, pasta, tomatoes, black beans, cheddar, and scallions together with a creamy, slightly spicy, easy-to-pull-together ranch dressing.

This pasta salad is a complete meal that can be pulled together in under 30 minutes. It is a complete meal in itself and perfect for those warm summer nights when you don’t want to turn on the oven or venture out to grill something.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.

• Pasta: I think that Radiatore pasta is the best for this taco pasta salad. It is just the right size, and it has lots of nooks and crannies for the dressing.   However, any small pasta will work as well, such as macaroni, rotini, small shells, or bowtie pasta.
• Ground beef: For more flavor, use ground beef with a bit of fat.
• Taco seasoning: For optimum flavor, use my homemade taco seasoning, made with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ground cayenne pepper.
• Cheddar cheese: You can use mild, regular, sharp, or extra-sharp.
• Lettuce: Romaine is my go-to for this recipe. It is a sturdy lettuce that holds up well to pasta salads.
• Ranch dressing: I use Marzetti, but you can use your favorite brand or make homemade.
• Adobo sauce: A slightly sweet, tangy, rich sauce made with ground ancho and guajillo chiles. It is packed with chipotle peppers and is found in the Hispanic section of the grocery store.
• Salsa: Use your favorite brand of salsa or salsa-style tomatoes.

How to Make Taco Pasta Salad

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Cook the noodles al dente according to the package instructions, then drain them well.
2. Brown the ground beef and drain any excess grease. Add the taco seasoning and water, then simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to almost room temperature.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
4. Grab a large serving bowl and gently combine the cooled pasta, prepared dressing, seasoned beef,  cheddar, tomatoes, scallions, black beans, and romaine.

Preparation Tips

• Cook the pasta slightly al dente. No one wants mushy noodles, and pasta salads require stirring, so you don’t want those noodles breaking down.
• They are now selling ranch dressings in the refrigerator section that have no artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors, and they are delicious!
• If your pasta salad seems drier than you’d like, add a few tablespoons of extra ranch, sour cream, or salsa. Most pasta salad recipes are easily modified with a little of this and a little of that.
• You can make this pasta salad up to two days in advance, but do not add the romaine until a few hours before. You want your lettuce to be fresh and crisp. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the pasta salad seems dry, add a few tablespoons of ranch, sour cream, or salsa.

Easy Taco Pasta Salad

Easy Taco Pasta Salad brings taco seasoned ground beef, pasta, tomatoes, black beans, cheddar and scallions mixed with a creamy slightly spicy ranch dressing. Its perfect warm or chilled, for lunch or dinner.

4.95 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: pasta salad

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 635kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Radiatore pasta please see notes
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• ¾ cup water
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cut into small cubes
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• ⅓ cup chopped scallions
• 1 can 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 small head romaine lettuce chopped about 6 cups
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dressing

• 1⅓ cup ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce please see notes
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup salsa or salsa style tomatoes

Instructions

• Cook pasta la dente according to box instructions. Drain well and cool. Stir or flip while cooling so it does not stick.
• In large skillet over medium heat brown ground beef. Drain any excess fat. Turn heat to low and add taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 7-10 minutes.
• In small bowl whisk together ranch dressing, adobo sauce, sour cream and salsa.
• Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add the mixed dressing, cheddar, tomatoes, scallions, black beans, romaine lettuce, and seasoned beef. Stir gently to coat and serve. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1403mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2mg

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