Easy Taco Pasta Salad

Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe served in a white bowl

Summer is a great time for salads. Pasta salad is one of my favorites, because it’s quick, healthy, and filling enough to make a whole meal. But I also really love taco salad, because it’s so hearty and full of zesty Mexican spice.

So I figured, why decide between the two? Why not make both at once?

Easy Taco Pasta Salad served in a white bowl

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This Easy Taco Pasta Salad has all the features of a great taco salad – seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and crushed corn chips. But instead of being served in a crispy tortilla shell, it’s all tossed with pasta and some extra veggies and dressing – just like a pasta salad.

The result is the best of taco salad and pasta salad in one. It’s got meat and cheese, veggies and starch, all tossed together with that spicy taco seasoning. It’s everything you could possibly want in a salad, all in one bowl.

Easy Taco Pasta Salad

  1. Cook beef in a pan over medium high heat. Once meat starts to brown, add in the taco seasoning. Once cooked, drain access grease and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a pot, cook the rotini according to package directions. When pasta is cooked, drain and run cool water over it to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, add together all ingredients and mix until well combined.Easy Taco Pasta Salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl
  4. Serve immediately.Easy Taco Pasta Salad served in a white bowl

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4.91 from 11 votes

Easy Taco Pasta Salad

Author Corey Valley
This Easy Taco Pasta Salad has all the features of a great taco salad – seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and crushed corn chips.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • ½ lb ground beef
  • ½ lb rotini pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning, I use my famous taco seasoning
  • ½ sweet pepper, yellow, chopped
  • ¼ small onion, diced
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cheddar, shredded
  • ½ head iceberg lettuce, some stores carry iceberg already shredded
  • ½ cup French dressing
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cup nacho cheese Doritos, crushed roughly

Instructions

  • Cook beef in a pan over medium high heat. Once meat starts to brown, add in the taco seasoning. Once cooked, drain access grease and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, in a pot, cook the rotini according to package directions. When pasta is cooked, drain and run cool water over it to cool.
  • In a large bowl, add together all ingredients and mix until well combined.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 2.9mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.

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Post Updated August 2020

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19 Comments

  1. Hi! This recipe looks really good, and I’ve shared it with few of my friends, who all agree with me. Can you tell me about how big a serving is? Thanks! 🙂

    1. It depends if you are using this as a main dish or a side salad? I would say it would serve 8-10 side salads, and 4-6 full meal servings.

  2. If I use the preshredded lettuce, do you have any idea how much would be equal to 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce?

    1. Kayla Dale says:

      I used an 8 oz bag of shredded lettuce and it was the perfect amount 😊

  3. Brenda Reitz says:

    I watched the video but didnt see when you put the sour cream in that is listed in the ingredients , what does that get mixed with ??

    1. Hi Brenda! It’s always best to follow the written direction, as the videos are super quick versions of the recipe. As indicated in Step 3 of the recipe, you add all ingredients together at that point, including the sour cream. I hope that helps 🙂

  4. Looks delicious. What other dressing would be a good substitute for the French? I’m trying to think what would work with those food combinations.
    Thank you for any suggestions.

    1. Kayla Dale says:

      I made it using salsa ranch and it was really good! 😊

      1. Love that idea of using salsa ranch! Yum!

  5. 4 stars
    Wonderful recipe and looks delish but if you want to save a few calories skip the French dressing and use salsa or picante sauce.
    Thanks for sharing.

  6. Do you know how many calories there are per serving? Thanks!

  7. I used to make this all the time in the early ’70’s. We didn’t have nacho Doritos but did use crushed tortilla chips and also sliced black olives. Used Kraft Catalina dressing (like French dressing).

    1. I will have to give the Catalina dressing a try next time I make it 🙂

  8. Wendy Ellingson says:

    5 stars
    I changed the dressing to spicy ranch mixed with taco sauce-👌

  9. Barb Quartier says:

    I watched the video and it doesn’t show you adding the sour cream, but you have sour cream in the recipe. When do you add it? Can’t wait to try it.

    1. You add that in during step 3 in the recipe.

  10. 5 stars
    My grocery store didn’t have French so I subbed Catalina dressing and used Mexican crema instead of sour cream – turned out amazing! If making ahead add the chips just before serving – they got a little soggy but overall still a huge potluck hit.