Taco Pasta Salad

My Taco Pasta Salad recipe with Doritos and French dressing is a must try. Loaded with everything you’d want to see on your taco and more, this is a great recipe to serve to guests or even enjoy with your family at the dinner table!

Taco Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are one of my favorite sides. They are great for summertime picnics, BBQs and potlucks, but let’s get real. I’ll find an excuse to enjoy pasta salad any time of the year! Especially a recipe as delicious and loaded with great flavor like this one.

Finding new and fun ways to enjoy classic recipes is something I love doing. While I will always love a nice and creamy macaroni pasta salad, there really is something about this recipe that speaks to me. Is it the crunchy Doritos? Flavorful taco meat? Whatever it is, I can’t get enough!

Now I may be a little biased here but if I had to pick my favorite salad out of all pasta salad, I’d have to go with this one. This salad has pretty much all my favorite ingredients, so if you’re with me let’s make this! This salad will make so much, enough to feed a crowd, so go ahead and share.

Ingredients in Taco Pasta Salad

This is such a fun way to switch up your regular pasta salads. Everyone will love this recipe! Keep scrolling for the full recipe and ingredient amounts.

• Ground beef – Find yourself a lean or extra lean ground beef. Otherwise, make sure to drain the fat off.
• Taco seasoning – I have a container of taco seasoning that I use. You can also use a 1 oz packet.
• Pasta – I used shells for this recipe. You can use any other small varieties you like such as penne, rotini, farfalle, macaroni, and fusilli.
• Corn – You can use canned, frozen, or fresh corn.
• Black beans – If you use dried beans make sure to give yourself time to rehydrate them. Canned beans will need to be rinsed thoroughly.
• Grape tomatoes – I find these work best for this salad and are the easiest to prepare. Other types like Roma or Beefsteak will work as well.
• Iceberg lettuce – This type of lettuce is nice and crunchy and will hold up well in this salad. You can use any type you have handy.
• Black olives – I sliced the olives into smaller pieces. You can keep them whole as well.
• Cheddar cheese – A Mexican blend will work as well. Feel free to use either fresh or pre-shredded.
• French dressing – You can use more or less than what the recipe calls for depending on your preference.
• Doritos – I used original Doritos. There are lots of other great flavors you can experiment with!

What Else Can I Mix Into My Taco Pasta Salad?

Think about your ideal taco. What’s on it? There are lots of great mix-ins to add! Try these:

• Avocado
• Kidney or red beans
• Bell pepper
• Onion
• Hot peppers
• Cilantro
• Cotija or feta cheese

What Other Types of Dressing Can I Use?

This recipe is very easy to switch up. There are lots of great flavors you can use!

• Ranch/ BBQ ranch
• Southwest
• Thousand island
• Salsa and sour cream
• Vinaigrette
• Catalina

How to Make Taco Pasta Salad

Keep in mind that this recipe makes a lot of pasta salad. It’s perfect for serving a crowd! You can cut the recipe in half to make less if you wish. Feel free to use the full 1 pound of ground beef even if you halve the recipe so you can use up the whole package.

1. Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse it well with cold water.
2. Cook the ground beef: Brown and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off the fat and mix in the taco seasoning.
3. Mix the salad: Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss well until everything is coated with dressing. Serve cold and enjoy!

What to Serve With Taco Pasta Salad

• Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
• Perfect Pulled Pork or Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
• Beef Brisket
• Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Garlic and Paprika Chicken
• Red Chimichurri Chicken Wings
• Cowboy Caviar
• Pico de Gallo Recipe
• Sangria Blanco

Can I Make This Salad Ahead?

This salad is great to make ahead! To make sure it tastes as fresh as possible, leave the lettuce and Doritos off until right before serving. This salad is best served a day or two after you make it.

How to Store Taco Pasta Salad

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last 3-4 days.

I don’t recommend storing this recipe in the freezer. Because of the water content of the veggies and cooked pasta, after it thaws it will become soggy.

More Delicious Salad Recipes To Try:

• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Cowboy Pasta Salad
• Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Macaroni Salad