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Oval platter with taco pasta salad.

Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

Our Taco Pasta Salad with ground beef, tomatoes, and cheese is the perfect dish to take to any summer gathering.
4.2 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 359kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 12 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • cup water
  • 1 package taco seasoning (3 tablespoons)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheese
  • ½ cup green pepper (diced)
  • ½ cup onion (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 2 cups shredded lettuce
  • ¾ cup catalina dressing
  • Corn chips or doritos for topping (optional)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.
  • Pour the cooked pasta into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Set aside while the remaining ingredients are prepped.
  • Add the ground beef to a skillet over medium heat. Cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes. Drain the fat from the cooked beef.
  • Add ⅔ cup of water and the taco seasoning. Return to the stove over medium low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and let the beef cool for 10 minutes before adding to the pasta.
  • Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add the beef and tomatoes to the pasta and stir to combine. Add the cheese, green pepper, onion and cilantro and stir again.
  • Finally, add the lettuce and Catalina dressing and stir until evenly incorporated.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with corn chips or Doritos.

Notes

  • If you are using homemade taco seasoning, add 2 Tablespoons of flour to the ground beef mixture to thicken the sauce.
  • Do not cook the pasta past the al dente stage or it will break up as it’s stirred with the other ingredients.
  • The pasta will soak up the dressing as it sits. If you’re preparing this well in advance, you may need to add more dressing before serving.
  • Other ingredients that can be included or substituted: black beans, corn niblets, etc.

Storage

Prepare the pasta salad up to 2 days before serving, but do not add the lettuce, dressing or chips until right before serving. Toss the pasta with olive oil to keep it from sticking.
Store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword ground beef pasta salad, pasta salad with ground beef, pasta taco salad, taco pasta salad

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg