Taco Pasta Salad

4.88 from 8 votes

Seasoned ground beef, pasta, black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, and crushed Doritos tossed in a tangy French dressing. Feeds a crowd in 30 minutes. Dressing and Doritos go in last. Always.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken ranch pasta salad, taco pasta salad

Servings:

Calories: 401kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 pound pasta uncooked, such as penne or shells
1 cup corn canned or frozen
15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained (1 can)
2 cups grape tomatoes
2 cups iceberg lettuce shredded
½ cup black olives pitted, sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese or mexican blend, shredded
1½ cups French dressing add right before serving
1 cup doritos crushed, add right before serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water until fully cooled.
Brown the ground beef over medium high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Drain the fat. Stir in the taco seasoning. Let cool completely.
Add the pasta, beef, beans, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, and cheese to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
Right before serving, add the French dressing and toss to coat. Add the crushed Doritos, toss once more, and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

1. Dressing and Doritos go in last. The dressing wilts the lettuce and the Doritos turn soggy fast. Toss everything else together ahead of time and add both right before serving.
2. Cool the beef before combining. Warm beef wilts the lettuce and melts the cheese prematurely. Give it 10 minutes to cool after cooking.
3. Re-dress leftovers. Pasta soaks up dressing overnight. Add a splash of French dressing and toss again before serving the next day.

Nutrition