Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Residence Chef

This is likely one of the most filling pasta salads on the market! It’s full of meat, cheese, beans, and greens. Carry to a BBQ or make as a fast and straightforward dinner at dwelling and we promise there gained’t be any complaints about leaving hungry!

If you happen to love this recipe, you’ll love our “cowboy caviar” Black Bean and Corn Salad.

Why Our Recipe

Loaded with all the great things. We’re speaking beef, bacon, cheddar, and veggies.
Our creamy selfmade salsa verde dressing brings a smoky kick you’ll love.
Makes for an excellent filling dinner, or deliver it to a potluck or BBQ to feed a crowd.

A Bowl full of Cowboy Pasta Salad displaying the ingredients on top.

Half of this pasta salad’s flavorful goodness comes from our scrumptious, selfmade dressing. It’s our secret ingredient! Keep in mind, pasta salad is barely nearly as good because the dressing you placed on it. Our cowboy dressing is made with salsa verde, lime juice, and loads of smoky spices and seasonings. The salsa lets you actually mess around with the warmth degree, so if you happen to prefer it sizzling, be sure that to make use of medium to sizzling salsa.

Ingredient Notes

Overhead layout of Ingredients for Cowboy Pasta Salad.

Rotini Pasta: Rotini’s nice for grabbing onto all that dressing. No rotini? Use one other brief pasta like fusilli or penne.
Floor Beef: We like utilizing 80/20 beef for one of the best taste. Floor turkey or rooster works too if you would like it just a little lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings just a little additional punch, however truthfully, any cheese you like will work. Pepper jack can be superior if you would like just a little kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Lower them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chunk. A mixture of purple and yellow tomatoes appears to be like actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them a superb rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely tremendous to make use of straight from the can, however you can even use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Pink Onion: Pink onions are one of the best for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely optionally available! Recent jalapeños add a pleasant spicy crunch, or use pickled for rather less warmth.
Bacon: Crumble it up! Prepare dinner your personal or seize the pre-cooked type.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite gentle or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth degree you want.
Lime Juice: Recent-squeezed is at all times going to have one of the best taste, however bottled lime juice works too.

Modify the Warmth

Among the finest issues about cowboy pasta is how straightforward it’s to tweak the spice. If you happen to’re into warmth, seize a sizzling salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a couple of additional jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Follow gentle salsa and skip the chili powder and jalapeños. Straightforward!

Closeup image of Cowboy Pasta Salad with dressing drizzled over it.

Make-Forward Directions

This salad’s tremendous straightforward to make forward. You possibly can whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Prepare dinner the pasta and floor beef the night time earlier than, too. Simply maintain them separate so the whole lot stays contemporary. If you’re able to eat, all you’ve received to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in an enormous bowl. Accomplished and executed.