Easy taco pasta salad (Printable Page)

Bright Tex-Mex pasta with fresh veggies, cheese, and a zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
07 - 1 avocado, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Dressing

10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 packet taco seasoning
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

16 - 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
17 - Fresh cilantro for serving

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, rinse under cold water, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and develop.
06 - Top with crushed tortilla chips and additional fresh cilantro immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge, which is basically a potluck miracle.
  • Your guests will ask for the recipe, and you'll feel like a genius for combining such simple things into something genuinely delicious.
02 -
  • Don't dice your avocado until right before you're about to toss the salad, because it'll oxidize and turn dark in minutes otherwise—this is the one step you can't do ahead.
  • The cheddar cheese melts slightly into the dressing as it sits, which sounds weird but actually creates this creamy, cohesive texture that makes the whole thing work.
03 -
  • Use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of bottled—it's the one ingredient where the difference is actually noticeable and worth the two minutes of effort.
  • Buy whole block cheddar and shred it yourself if you can, because the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese make the dressing feel slightly gritty instead of smooth.
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