Taco Pasta Salad
Easy and uniquely delicious, this easy Taco Pasta Salad recipe is perfect for a flavorful side dish or even a light and tasty entree! You'll love the classic taco flavors combined with your favorite pasta for a satisfying dish.
Servings: 10
Calories: 501kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz orecchiette pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 2 cups crushed doritos
Taco Sauce
- 1/2 cup crema
- 1/2 cup creamy french dressing
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. When it’s finished cooking, drain and rinse under cool water. Add a splash of olive oil to the pasta water to keep the noodles from sticking after you drain them.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the Mexican crema, french dressing, water, relish, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric. Set it aside for later.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet (like a cast iron) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and brown for 4-5 minutes on each side before breaking the meat apart with a spatula or meat masher.
- Continue cooking the beef for 5-6 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Add the taco seasoning and mix to combine. Then add the water and corn and continue cooking until the corn is warmed through and the beef is fully cooked (160F).
- Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl with 3/4 of the taco sauce and mix to combine. Then mix in the cooked ground beef and corn mixture, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and cilantro. Add more dressing if you like, then carefully fold in the crushed doritos and serve.
Notes
- If you happen to be prepping this pasta salad ahead of time, leave out the lettuce, cilantro, and Doritos until just before serving so they don’t get soggy. Also, set some of the burger sauce aside to mix in before serving.
- If your dressing is too thick, add more water to thin it out.
- If using sour cream or greek yogurt you might need up to 1/4 cup of water but mix in 1 tbsp at a time.
- While you can probably swap out this pasta to your favorite, I like the oriecchette pasta shape because it holds the ground beef like a mini cup.
Nutrition
Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 419mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1062IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg
