Cowboy Pasta Salad 🤠

This hearty Cowboy Pasta Salad is packed with flavorful ground beef, fresh vegetables, pasta, and a zesty lime-taco dressing, perfect for potlucks or an easy weeknight meal.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Cuisine American, Southwestern

Servings 8 servings

Calories 621 kcal

Ingredients

Meat Mixture

16 ounces lean ground beef 90/10 preferred
1 small yellow onion minced
0.5 tsp fine sea salt or to taste
0.5 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste

Pasta

16 ounces dry pasta like rotini
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for pasta

Dressing

0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil for dressing
2 limes juiced
3 tablespoons taco seasoning or 1 (1 ounce) packet

Remaining Salad Ingredients

12 ounces frozen corn thawed (or 1 (15 ounce) can, drained)
1 can black beans thoroughly rinsed and drained
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese 4 ounces, grated or cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 jalapeño diced
2 green onions sliced
Fresh cilantro chopped (optional, for garnish)
Fresh parsley chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the Meat: In a large skillet, brown the lean ground beef and minced onion over medium heat until the beef is fully cooked. Drain any excess fat thoroughly, then season with salt and pepper. Set this mixture aside to cool.
Prepare the Pasta: Cook your chosen pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well, then toss the cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. Allow it to cool down completely.
Whisk the Dressing: In a large serving bowl, combine the ½ cup of olive oil, fresh lime juice, and taco seasoning. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well blended and create a vibrant, zesty dressing.
Assemble the Salad: Add the cooled pasta, cooled ground beef, thawed corn, rinsed black beans, cheddar cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, diced jalapeño, and sliced green onions to the bowl with the dressing.
Toss and Chill: Gently toss all the ingredients until everything is thoroughly combined and coated in the flavorful dressing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
Serve & Enjoy: Before serving, give the salad another quick toss. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if you like. Taste and adjust seasonings with extra salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.

Notes

This versatile salad is great for meal prep or feeding a crowd. Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or less jalapeño.

Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories: 621kcal
Total Carbs: 73g
Net Carbs: 63g
Fats: 25g
Protein: 30g