Taco Pasta Salad

overhead view of a large bowl of Taco Pasta SaladTaco Pasta Salad is a perfect summertime meal for a crowd.  It’s great for bringing to picnics or pot luck dinners, and it’s adaptable for any palate.
a serving of Taco Pasta Salad on a plateHere’s the thing.  Different members of my family like different things in their salads.  No big deal.  If you want to leave something out; do it!  If you want to make a substitution; do it!  If you want to add 5 ingredients that aren’t even in my recipe; do it!  This is your salad, and you’re the boss.  However for informational purposes, these are the dressings that we like best, French, plain old Ranch, and Creamy Cilantro-Ranch (which recipe you can get right here).
a serving of Taco Pasta Salad on a plate

Taco Pasta Salad
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
  2. 1 pound rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed in cold water
  3. 1 package (1 ounce or 1/4 cup) taco seasoning
  4. 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  5. 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  6. 1 cup sliced black olives
  7. ½ cup finely diced green pepper
  8. ½ cup finely diced red pepper
  9. 5 green onions, finely sliced
  10. 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or jack)
  11. 1 ½ cups salad dressing (French, ranch, cilantro ranch, etc)
  12. 9 ounce bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
Instructions
  1. Add dry taco seasoning to the cooked beef, and mix thoroughly.
  2. In extra-large bowl, or two large bowls, combine taco beef, pasta, lettuce, tomatoes, green and red peppers, onions, and cheese. Toss well.
  3. Pour dressing over top, and stir until well coated. Don't add crushed chips until right before serving.
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Rotini pasta cooking in boiling water for Taco Pasta Salad

Following directions on the package, cook
1 pound rotini pasta

While you’re waiting for the pasta to cook, prepare the meat as follows.

gound beef cooking for Taco Pasta Salad

In a large skillet,, over medium-high heat, brown
1 pound ground beef
Drain fat.

gound beef mixed with taco seasoning for Taco Pasta Salad

Mix in
1 ounce package (1/4 cup) taco seasoning

Cooked rotini pasta being rinsed in cold water to make Taco Pasta Salad

Strain the cooked pasta, and run it under cold water until it’s cool. Then shake the strainer to be sure that it’s well drained.

a bowl full of lettuce, taco-seasoned ground beef, crushed Doritos, green onions, cooked pasta, sliced olives, sliced tomatoes, green and red peppers, and shredded cheddar jack cheese for Taco Pasta Salad

In extra-large bowl, or two large bowls, combine
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1 pound rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed in cold water
1 ounce package (1/4 cup) taco seasoning
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup sliced black olives
½ cup finely diced green pepper
½ cup finely diced red pepper
5 green onions, finely sliced
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or jack)
9 ounce bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
Only add the crushed chips if serving immediately.
I use 2 bowls so that I can customize the salads according to the taste preferences of my family members. Some don’t like olives, etc.

adding salad dressing to Taco Pasta Salad

Toss well. Then pour dressing over top, and …

overhead view of a large bowl of Taco Pasta Salad

… stir until completely coated.

a serving of Taco Pasta Salad on a plate

Serve immediately.
The chips and lettuce will quickly begin to wilt, so if you’re transporting it, toss everything else together, but wait to mix in the lettuce and chips until serving time.

a fork-full of Taco Pasta Salad

Enjoy!