Taco Pasta Salad

4.76 from 81 votes

This taco pasta salad features a classic taco flavor combined with pasta, taco beef, beans, tomatoes and more. It can be served as a picnic side or a main dish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy pasta salad, easy summer dinner recipe, taco salad

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

For the salad:

1 pound Cellentani pasta
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
15 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
½ cup diced red onion
1 pint grape tomatoes halved (about 2 cups)
8 ounces Colby Jack cheese cubed

For the sauce:

2 cups thousand island dressing
2 tablespoons taco sauce
2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Optional toppings:

cilantro
lettuce
sour cream
fritos

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. 1 pound Cellentani pasta
In a medium skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef. Drain off any fat. 1 pound ground beef
Add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning to the cooked beef. Stir to mix well. Allow the beef to cool. 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
To a large bowl, add the cooled, cooled pasta, cooked beef, beans, onions, tomato and cheese. Mix well. 15 ounces black beans, ½ cup diced red onion, 1 pint grape tomatoes, 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Pour over the pasta mixture and mix well. 2 cups thousand island dressing, 2 tablespoons taco sauce, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Cover and refrigerate until serving. Before serving, top with fresh lettuce, snipped cilantro, Fritos and sour cream if desired.

Video

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 12, with 1 serving being 1/12 of the pasta salad. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition