Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

This is among the most filling pasta salads on the market! It’s filled with meat, cheese, beans, and greens. Deliver to a BBQ or make as a fast and simple dinner at residence and we promise there received’t be any complaints about leaving hungry!

In case you love this recipe, you’ll love our “cowboy caviar” Black Bean and Corn Salad.

Why Our Recipe

Loaded with all the good 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 carry 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! Bear in mind, pasta salad is simply 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 means that you can actually mess around with the warmth degree, so if you happen to prefer it scorching, be sure to make use of medium to scorching 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 the most effective taste. Floor turkey or rooster works too if you’d like it somewhat lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings somewhat additional punch, however truthfully, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack could be superior if you’d like somewhat 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 seems to be actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them an excellent rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely tremendous to make use of straight from the can, however it’s also possible to use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Crimson Onion: Crimson onions are the most effective for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely optionally available! Contemporary jalapeños add a pleasant spicy crunch, or use pickled for rather less warmth.
Bacon: Crumble it up! Cook dinner your individual or seize the pre-cooked form.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite delicate or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth degree you want.
Lime Juice: Contemporary-squeezed is at all times going to have the most effective taste, however bottled lime juice works too.

Modify the Warmth

Probably the greatest issues about cowboy pasta is how straightforward it’s to tweak the spice. In case you’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss just a few additional jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Persist with delicate 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’ll be able to whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Cook dinner the pasta and floor beef the night time earlier than, too. Simply hold 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. Performed and carried out.