Easy Taco Pasta Salad
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?
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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
- 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.
- Serve immediately.
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Easy Taco Pasta Salad
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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
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.
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Post Updated August 2020
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! 🙂
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.
Thank you!
If I use the preshredded lettuce, do you have any idea how much would be equal to 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce?
I used an 8 oz bag of shredded lettuce and it was the perfect amount 😊
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 ??
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 🙂
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.
I made it using salsa ranch and it was really good! 😊
Love that idea of using salsa ranch! Yum!
I’ve used western dressing or Catalina and both turned out great
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.