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 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 do-it-yourself salsa verde dressing brings a smoky kick you’ll love.
Makes for an excellent 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, do-it-yourself dressing. It’s our secret ingredient! Bear in mind, pasta salad is just pretty much 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 stage, so in case you prefer it scorching, make certain 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 quick pasta like fusilli or penne.
Floor Beef: We like utilizing 80/20 beef for the very best taste. Floor turkey or hen works too in order for you it a bit lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a bit further punch, however actually, any cheese you like will work. Pepper jack could be superior in order for you 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 pink and yellow tomatoes seems actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them a very good rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely fantastic to make use of straight from the can, however you may also use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Crimson Onion: Crimson onions are the very 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! Cook dinner your individual or seize the pre-cooked type.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite gentle or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth stage 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. In case you’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a number of further 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. Cook dinner the pasta and floor beef the night time earlier than, too. Simply maintain them separate so every little thing stays contemporary. Once you’re able to eat, all you’ve bought to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Carried out and executed.