Taco Pasta Salad
This zesty Taco Pasta Salad is simple to make using a handful of kitchen staple ingredients and packed with fresh, delicious flavor and texture. Serve this for Taco Night or as an easy weeknight dinner or side dish for any backyard barbecue or picnic.
Last summer, we were heading to a friends BBQ with the assignment of bringing pasta salad, and the kids reminded me it just so happened to be Taco Tuesday, so we decided to combine the two into one! This Taco Pasta Salad is a bold, zesty twist on a cookout staple, and has all of the flavors you crave from a crispy taco in a satisfying pasta salad. Simple to make in 30 minutes with easy and affordable ingredients, it’s great for summer entertaining, potlucks or a quick family dinner.
Full of seasoned taco meat, crisp veggies, tender pasta, cheddar cheese and a tangy dressing, this Taco Pasta Salad is best served chilled, so it’s perfect for warm weather. And the best part? The crunchy Dorito topping, of course! It makes this taco pasta salad next-level delicious and so, so satisfying. Make this for taco night, or any night — enjoy!
If you’re a taco lover like us, be sure to try this Easy Crockpot Taco Lasagna for a hands-off dinner and this flavor-packed Best Taco Tortellini, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Taco Flavor in Pasta Salad Form: This dish has all the best flavors you crave in a classic taco, but in a chilled, refreshing pasta salad.
- Easy to Make and Great for a Crowd: Because this dish comes together so quickly (in about 30 minutes) and with just a few ingredients, it can be whipped up anytime and it feeds a large group easily.
- Perfect Crunch and Texture: This salad is the perfect balance of flavor and texture, and the crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos on top add an irresistible crunch.
- Great for BBQs and Summer Gatherings: Backyard BBQ’s and summer cookouts call for a fan-favorite pasta salad, so this one is the perfect addition to any outdoor spread.
- Ideal to Make Ahead: This is one of those dishes that actually tastes better the longer it sits, making it perfect to make in advance and serve when you’re ready. It’s a great time-saving side.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef or Turkey: Crumbled and caramelized, either works perfectly as the taco meat.
- Rotini Pasta: Any pasta shape works, but we like a corkscrew to catch the dressing.
- Avocados: Creamy and ripe for richness.
- Taco Seasoning: Savory and zesty, use your favorite store-bought blend, or make your own and keep it on hand for future uses.
- Yellow Sweet Pepper: For texture, flavor and color. Any color works.
- Onion: For added aromatic flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Fresh and slightly sweet, these add flavor and a pop of vibrant color.
- Cheddar Cheese: A classic taco topping, freshly shred your own.
- Iceberg Lettuce: Crisp, cool and refreshing.
- French Dessing: Tangy and creamy, use your favorite store-bought brand.
- Sour Cream: Thick and cool, another must-have taco topping.
- Nacho Cheese Doritos: The perfect crispy, crunchy, finishing touch.
Substitutions:
- Try a Different Ground Meat: Swap in ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a lighter option.
- Lighten it Up: Try reduced-fat sour cream or dressing for a slightly healthier version.
- Use Another Pasta Shape: Any pasta shape works — try penne, mezze rigatoni, cavatappi, or fusilli. We suggest rotini for holding the dressing, but any corkscrew shape works nicely.
How To Make Taco Pasta Salad
1. 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.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rotini according to package directions in a medium or large pot. When pasta is cooked, drain and run cool water over it to cool.
3. In a large bowl, add together all ingredients and mix until well combined.
4. Note: Add Doritos right before serving to avoid them getting soggy.
Video
Expert Tips
- Add Doritos Last: Top the salad with these and mix in right before serving, otherwise they’ll get soggy if added too early.
- Let Meat Cool Completely: Make sure it’s fully cooled before adding to the salad so it doesn’t wilt the lettuce.
- Rinse Pasta With Cold Water: Once it’s cooked, give it quick rinse to stop it from cooking further.
- Dice Avocado Last: Wait until right before serving to add the avocado. Toss lightly with lime juice to prevent browning, too.
- Taste and Adjust Taco Seasoning: Add more or less, based on your preference. If you like it more seasoned and bold in flavor, sprinkle in more, but if you like it on the mild side, just add a little.
Variations
- Try Different Protein: Swap ground beef for pulled rotisserie chicken for a quicker, just as delicious version.
- Add Beans or Veggies: Add canned black beans and / or corn for extra texture and flavor.
- Use Ranch Dressing: Swap tangy French dressing for creamy ranch for a different flavor profile.
- Make it Vegetarian: Skip the meat all together and add in extra veggies and beans.
- Try Cool Ranch Doritos: Swap out the nacho cheese-flavored chips for zesty cool ranch for a different twist.
Storage
We recommend eating this within 24 hours once assembled for the best flavor and texture, but you can store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Give it a stir to refresh, then serve chilled or at room temperature.
This is a great dish to prep in advance — prep all the components ahead of time, then combine when ready to serve. Reminder to keep the Doritos separate until serving, to prevent them from getting soggy.
FAQs
We suggest prepping the components ahead of time and storing separately, but assembling right before serving for maximum freshness, flavor and texture.
Rotini or another corkscrew spiral-shaped pasta is best because they hold the dressing well, but any short cut pasta shape works. Penne, rigatoni or bowties are also great options.
Yes! Use your favorite brand from the store or a homemade blend.
Toss them in lime juice, and don’t dice and mix in until the last minute, right before serving.
Absolutely. Skip the meat all together and make this a vegetarian pasta salad with extra veggies and beans.
More Delicious Pasta Salad Recipes
Taco Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef or turkey
- ½ lb rotini pasta
- 2 large avocados diced
- 2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning
- ½ yellow sweet pepper chopped
- ¼ small onion diced
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cheddar shredded
- ½ head iceberg lettuce
- 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, cook the rotini according to package directions in a medium or large pot. 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.
- Note: Add Doritos right before serving to avoid them getting soggy.
Video
Notes
- We recommend eating this within 24 hours once assembled for the best flavor and texture, but you can store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Give it a stir to refresh, then serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Prep this in advance — prep all components ahead of time, then combine when ready to serve. Reminder to keep the Doritos separate until serving, to prevent them from get
