Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

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

For those who 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 home made salsa verde dressing brings a smoky kick you’ll love.
Makes for a brilliant filling dinner, or convey 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, home made dressing. It’s our secret ingredient! Bear 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 means that you can actually mess around with the warmth degree, so should you prefer it scorching, be sure that 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 very best taste. Floor turkey or hen works too if you would like it a bit lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a bit additional punch, however truthfully, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack could be superior if you would like a bit kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Reduce them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chew. A mixture of crimson and yellow tomatoes appears to be like actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely high-quality 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 very best for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely elective! 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 form.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite delicate or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth degree you want.
Lime Juice: Recent-squeezed is at all times going to have the very best 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. For those who’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a number of additional jalapeño slices on prime. Not a fan of spicy? Stick to delicate salsa and skip the chili powder and jalapeños. Simple!

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. Prepare dinner the pasta and floor beef the night time earlier than, too. Simply preserve them separate so every thing 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 a giant bowl. Performed and performed.