Taco Pasta Salad

Last summer, I took this pasta taco salad to a cookout. Three people texted me for the recipe. I was embarrassed to admit I'd just thrown some things together and never written it down. Now I have.

A taco pasta salad is pretty much what it sounds like. It's a Mexican pasta salad with all the flavors of a taco. Like tacos, you can play with the toppings and make it your own.

Some people like to make their taco pasta salad with ranch. I've even seen it with Catalina (which since that's essentially French dressing, I don't really get.)

I like this with chipotle ranch.

Serve It Cold or at Room Temperature

If you are planning on serving right away, cook the beef and let it cool just enough that it won't melt the cheese. Fold it into the pasta and toss with the other ingredients while its still just a touch warm.

You get that taco meat smell, and the touch of heat wakes up the seasonings in the dressing.

You aren't serving this taco pasta salad warm, more of room tempertuature. Can you serve taco pasta salad warm? Sort of, and this is how. It's not hot.

If you are making it ahead for a party or meal prep, it is delicious cool too. Just pull it from the fridge for a few minutes before serving.

Easy Chipotle Ranch

I've never really understood why Catalina was so popular in Mexican-style salads, but plain ranch doesn't fit much better.

My solution is a 2 minute blender chipotle ranch. It's smoky, just a little spicy, and works perfectly here.

And if you want more spice, add a spoonful of the adobo sauce from the can.

How to Keep Pasta Salad from Drying Out

The biggest complaint about pasta salad is that it goes dry in the fridge. You toss it, it looks perfect, and three hours later it's a dry. Let me help you fix this.

First, dress it in two stages. Toss with half the dressing when you make the salad, and hold the other half of the dressing back.

Toss it with the remaining dressing just before you serve it, right before you add the chips.

This is the single best thing you can do for any pasta salad, by the way.

Second, undercook the pasta a little. Pull it about a minute before the box says it's done.Soft pasta drinks dressing faster and goes mealy. Slightly firm pasta holds its shape and stays bouncy on day two.

One more small thing. Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water until it's cool to the touch. This stops the cooking and rinses off the surface starch that turns pasta gummy.

Do those three things and your salad is just as good tomorrow.

Picking The Pasta

Use any short pasta here. I like bow ties, but rotini is another great option. Small shells are great, as it penne. I like elbows, but they aren't my top pick. The only thing I recommend skipping is long noodles.

Make it Ahead for a Crowd

As written, the recipe feeds about eight to ten as a side dish. It will serve more if it's one of several dishes.

Here's my timeline.

Up to a day ahead, cook the beef, make the dressing, and prep the beans, corn, tomatoes, and cheese. Store the dressing separately. The morning of, cook the pasta, toss everything with half the dressing, and chill. Just before leaving the house, toss with the remaining dressing. Crush the chips and put them in a bag. Top with the chips when the pasta salad is set out, or place a bowl of crushed chips beside the salad so people can add it to their serving.

Step-by-Step