Creamy Taco Pasta Salad: A Crowd-Pleasing Summer Side Dish
Make this hearty, cold Tex-Mex pasta salad featuring seasoned ground beef, crisp vegetables, and a creamy dressing. It is a quick, family-friendly meal perfect for weeknight dinners or your next summer barbecue.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon chili-lime seasoning (or extra taco seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon ranch dressing mix (optional, for extra flavor)
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips or Doritos (for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse well with cold water to cool it down. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning mix and water into the cooked ground beef. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and let the beef cool completely.
- While the beef cools, prepare the creamy dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, chili-lime seasoning, and optional ranch mix until smooth.
- In a very large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooled seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, and chopped red onion.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and chill the taco pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to blend.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed tortilla chips or Doritos over the top for crunch. Serve this cold pasta salad chilled.
Notes
- You can easily make this taco pasta salad recipe ahead of time. Prepare the entire salad, but keep the crunchy topping separate until serving to prevent sogginess.
- For a lighter dressing, substitute half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
- This recipe works well for meal prep; store individual portions in airtight containers for quick lunch ideas throughout the week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 55