Description
A vibrant and flavorful taco pasta salad perfect for make-ahead meals, picnics, and potlucks, combining seasoned pasta, fresh vegetables, and creamy dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz rotini or penne pasta
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or canned)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup chopped lettuce (add just before serving)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup salsa (thick and chunky)
- Optional: tortilla chips for topping
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
- In a skillet, cook ground beef with taco seasoning until fully browned; drain excess fat.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, seasoned meat, cheese, tomatoes, olives, corn, and red onion.
- In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and salsa until smooth; fold into pasta mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, gently fold in chopped lettuce and top with tortilla chips if desired.
Notes
Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water to prevent mushiness. Add lettuce and chips last to avoid wilting and sogginess. Use thick salsa to avoid thinning the dressing. Chill for best flavor melding. Avoid freezing to maintain texture and freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook Assembly
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg