Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Residence Chef

This is without doubt one of 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 straightforward dinner at house and we promise there gained’t be any complaints about leaving hungry!

When you 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 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, home made dressing. It’s our secret ingredient! Bear in mind, pasta salad is just 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 when you 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 very best taste. Floor turkey or rooster works too in order for you it just a little lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings just a little further punch, however actually, any cheese you like will work. Pepper jack can be superior in order for you just a little kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Minimize them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chew. 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 superb to make use of straight from the can, however you may also use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Purple Onion: Purple 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! Cook dinner your individual or seize the pre-cooked sort.
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 the very best taste, however bottled lime juice works too.

Regulate the Warmth

Top-of-the-line issues about cowboy pasta is how simple it’s to tweak the spice. When you’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a couple of further jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Keep on with 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 simple 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 maintain them separate so the whole lot stays contemporary. While you’re able to eat, all you’ve acquired to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Achieved and executed.