Taco Pasta Salad Recipe – An Easy Side Dish or Main Dish Recipe

Taco Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe to make on Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo or anytime that you need a quick and easy to make dish that will keep you feeling full and satisfied. Pasta, seasoned ground beef and all of your favorite taco ingredients combined together and ready to eat in only 20 minutes!

Best of all this recipe is extremely versatile and you can make it in a variety of ways. Serve it as a hearty side dish at your next backyard picnic.

Or make it the star of the show at dinner and serve it as the main dish. With pasta, ground beef and vegetables tossed in a delicious dressing, it is more than enough to be a complete meal for two.

What You Need To Make Taco Pasta Salad

1. Pasta

The base of this recipe is some form of short pasta. It is best to choose shapes with spirals, nooks and crannies. Fusilli (corkscrew), rotini, cavatappi (corkscrew macaroni), and Farfalle (bowtie) are all excellent choices because their shape traps the dressing and other ingredients.

Although I prefer Fusilli pasta, you can pick whichever variety that you have on hand. However, be sure to cook it al dente (firm to the bite) for the best pasta salad texture.

2. Ground Beef

Just like when making my Easy Taco Casserole recipe, you can use any variety of ground beef, although I prefer to use lean ground beef. 93/7 lean to fat ratio will release less fat and liquid, providing more beef in the taco pasta salad.

However, if you use anything less than 90/10 you will need to drain the meat once it browns.

And for those who want an even leaner option use ground turkey or ground chicken. However you will need add oil to the skillet so the meat doesn’t stick to the pan.

3. Taco Seasoning

When it comes to cooking recipes for two, I find it easier to purchase a container of taco seasoning rather than the standard taco seasoning packets. This prevents me from letting the unused portion of the packet from going bad before I can use it in another recipe.

For this recipe you will need 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning which equals approximately 1/2 of a packet.

4. Shredded Lettuce

It is best to use a crispy, firm lettuce in this taco pasta salad recipe. Iceberg or Romaine lettuce are two common choices.

5. Cherry Tomatoes

Slice cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the mix. If you don’t have cherry tomatoes you can substitute grape tomatoes or even 1 cup of diced slicing tomatoes.

6. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese will provide the most flavor. However you can use any variety of shredded cheese. Mexican Blend is also one my favorites!

7. Onion

You can use whatever variety of onion that you have on hand. I have even used diced green onion before and it turns out delicious.

8. Green Pepper

Diced green pepper provides both flavor and crunch. However, if you have a sweet pepper on hand and want to use that, by all means do so!

9. Catalina Salad Dressing

Although I rarely use Catalina dressing on my salad, I always keep a bottle of it in my refrigerator. In the summer I use it to make Doritos Taco Salad for our larger family barbecues. Then I will always have it on hand to make this taco pasta salad whenever the craving hits me!

How To Make Taco Pasta Salad

• Cook the pasta per package directions for al’ dente consistency. Use the same procedure as you do when you make Pasta Salad For Two and rinse it under cold water after draining.

• While the pasta is cooking brown the ground beef.

• Drain the beef and return the meat to the skillet if needed. Then add the taco seasoning and water and heat until the water is evaporated. Remove the meat from the heat and let it cool slightly.

• Mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and then toss to combine.

• Serve immediately with the option to crush a few tortilla chips in the mix for an added crunch.

• Add more of your favorite taco toppings if you prefer. Suggested toppings: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, diced jalapeños, cilantro.

How To Store Leftovers

Although this recipe is designed for two servings, there may be various reasons that you may have leftovers. If you do store leftovers in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

However it is best not to add the toppings before you place it in the refrigerator. Some toppings, like crunchy tortilla bits and guacamole do not store well.

Then when it comes to serving the leftovers, it is best to eat it cold rather than reheating it in the microwave. Reheating will cause the lettuce to wilt and the vegetables to become warm and mushy.

I like to add a little more dressing to the salad when eating it as a leftover meal. That is because the pasta will absorb the liquid as it chills in the refrigerator. Simply pour on a little dressing and then give it a quick stir.

Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked spiral pasta
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup Catalina salad dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions for al’ dente consistency. Drain and then rinse the pasta in cold water. Set aside.

Cook the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles. Drain (if needed) and return the meat back to the skillet.

Stir in the taco seasoning and then 1/4 cup of water. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and let the meat cool.

Add the cooked and drained pasta to a medium size serving bowl. Then stir in the warm (not hot) ground beef and stir until well combined.

Add the shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing and then toss to coat.

Serve immediately with your favorite taco toppings.

Enjoy! Mary

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