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Taco Pasta Salad

Savory Taco Pasta Salad That’ll Brighten Your Dinner Table

This Taco Pasta Salad is a flavorful, customizable dish that delivers the comforts of tacos in a quick and easy pasta salad.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 450

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1 lb Ground Beef or ground turkey for a leaner option
  • 1 packet Taco Seasoning store-bought or homemade
  • 1 lb Pasta uncooked penne or shell pasta for best results
  • 1 cup Corn fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 15 oz Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups Grape Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes if preferred
  • 2 cups Iceberg Lettuce shredded
  • ½ cup Black Olives sliced; omit if undesired
  • 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded; or substitute with Mexican blend or pepper jack
For the Dressing
  • cups French Dressing or substitute with Ranch or Italian dressing
For the Topping
  • 1 cup Doritos crushed; use any flavored chips or omit for less crunch

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Skillet
  • mixing bowl
  • spatula

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Taco Pasta Salad
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound of uncooked pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound of ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. This takes about 6-8 minutes until no pink remains. Drain excess fat and stir in taco seasoning for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the seasoned ground beef, 1 cup of corn, a 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans, and 2 cups of halved grape tomatoes. Add 2 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce and ½ cup of sliced black olives. Fold the ingredients together until well mixed.
  4. Pour 1½ cups of French dressing over the ingredients in the mixing bowl and toss everything together until evenly coated.
  5. Sprinkle 1 cup of crushed Doritos on top just before serving. Enjoy for maximum crunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 25gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 15mg

Notes

For best results, prepare ground beef and pasta a day earlier; combine with dressing and Doritos just before serving to maintain freshness.

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