Cowboy Pasta Salad

Anytime I have a potluck, a party or a busy week on the horizon, cold pastas are the recipes I turn to most. The best way to describe this cowboy pasta salad recipe? It is a combination of your favorite taco salad and taco pasta. Made with tender spiral pasta, taco-seasoned beef, and southwest-inspired ingredients like bell peppers, chopped tomato, shredded cheese and ripe black olives, it’s a winning blend of flavors.

Scalable for any size crowd (like these other crowd-friendly pasta salads), this loaded cowboy pasta salad has saved me on more than one occasion. It’s make-ahead friendly and super versatile, as seen by all the variations listed below. Serve this dish with your other favorite cowboy recipes or as a side to classic Tex-Mex fare.

Ingredients for Cowboy Pasta Salad

Taste Recipes

• Spiral pasta: As with many of our other favorite pasta salad recipes, this one calls for a box of rotini pasta. But you can use any short-cut pasta shape you enjoy. Fusilli, farfalle, cavatappi or radiatore are a few of our favorites.
• Ground beef: Ground beef offers the pasta salad plenty of rich meaty flavor and great texture. Plus, since it adds a generous dose of protein to every serving, this is one quick pasta salad recipe you can enjoy as a stand-alone meal.
• Taco seasoning: You can either buy a packet of your favorite taco seasoning brand or make your own homemade taco seasoning using spices from your pantry.
• Cheese: Cheddar cheese brings a nice punch of bold cheese flavor to the pasta salad. You can swap in a Mexican cheese blend you enjoy or opt for pepper jack for a little extra spice.
• Vegetables: A simple combination of chopped tomato, onion and green bell pepper brings color, crunch, nutrition and zesty flavor into every bite.
• Black olives: Most types of olives add a salty, umami flavor to dishes. Black olives, however, tend to give a fruity, mild taste that works well with the southwest flavors in this cowboy pasta salad recipe.
• Dressing: No blending or whisking is required here. Grab a bottle of your favorite Catalina or Western salad dressing, and you’re good to go! For a special treat, try this homemade Catalina dressing.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta and brown the beef

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking the meat into crumbles; drain. Add water and taco seasoning; then simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: When learning how to cook pasta for cold salads, don’t skip the rinse. Rinsing the pasta in cold water immediately halts the cooking process and prevents the pasta from becoming too soft. If you skip rinsing or rinse with hot water, the pasta will continue to cook and may become overcooked.

Step 2: Combine the ingredients

Place the pasta in a large bowl. Add the seasoned beef, cheese, green pepper, onion, tomato and olives; mix well. Pour in the dressing, and toss to coat.

Step 3: Refrigerate to develop the flavors

Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least one hour. Then, serve chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!

Editor’s Tip: If you’ll be refrigerating the loaded cowboy pasta salad for more than one hour, reserve 1/2 cup dressing to stir into the salad just before serving.

Taste Recipes

Recipe Variations

• Try it with beans: For extra bulk and protein, you can add a can of rinsed and drained black beans to the cowboy pasta salad recipe (it will be similar to cowboy caviar).
• Add corn: For extra color and a touch of sweetness, toss in the kernels from one or two ears of sweet corn. Fresh, roasted, frozen or canned corn (rinsed and drained) will all work in this recipe.
• Switch up the sauce: If you’re not a fan of Western dressing, this loaded cowboy pasta salad can be made with classic barbecue sauce instead. Alternatively, for a creamy cowboy pasta salad, try avocado dressing or this spicy jalapeno ranch dip.
• Improve it with bacon: For a bit of smokiness, try adding four to six slices of cooked and crumbled bacon to the cowboy pasta salad recipe.
• Make it vegetarian: If you’re looking for a vegetarian pasta salad, you can omit the ground beef from this recipe and substitute black beans or your favorite plant-based meat crumbles.

How to Store Cowboy Pasta Salad

Leftover loaded cowboy pasta salad should be refrigerated and will keep for four to five days in an airtight storage container. The pasta will absorb the dressing as it sits in the refrigerator and may become dry. Before serving again, you may wish to toss the cold pasta salad with a few additional tablespoons of dressing.

Can you make cowboy pasta salad ahead of time?

Yes! As with many of our favorite make-ahead potluck recipes, this cowboy pasta salad recipe is a great make-ahead option. Prepare as directed, reserving 1/2 cup dressing to stir into the salad just before serving.

Cowboy Pasta Salad Tips

Taste Recipes

Can you make cowboy pasta salad with gluten-free pasta?

You can. However, gluten-free pastas tend to dry out and harden when they become cold since many are made from rice. For the best results, overcook the gluten-free pasta for one to two minutes to help it stay softer once it cools. Additionally, you may try dressing the pasta while it is hot, which can also help gluten-free pasta retain its softness once it cools. Here are more gluten-free potluck ideas.

What are some general rules for making the best pasta salad?

Making the best pasta salad comes down to a few key factors. First, getting the ingredient ratios right is key. Usually 1 pound pasta can be well-balanced with 1 to 2 pounds veggies, 1 to 3 cups dressing, and up to 1 cup other mix-ins.

For the best results, opt for ingredients with a variety of textures and colors that will make your pasta salad look delicious and have a good mouthfeel. Also, make sure to properly cook your pasta. A pasta salad with undercooked or overcooked noodles will almost always result in tragedy.

What can you serve with cowboy pasta salad?

Cowboy pasta salad can be served with just about any of your favorite potluck recipes. Try it with a colorful layered fresh fruit salad, a big pot of baked beans with bacon or a platter of your favorite appetizer tortilla pinwheels. If you’re looking for a main dish, serve this recipe with lip-smackin’ barbecue chicken, slow-cooker pulled pork or any one of these vibrant quick summer dinners.