Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At House 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 simple dinner at house and we promise there gained’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 an excellent filling dinner, or deliver 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 stage, so should you prefer it sizzling, be certain that to make use of medium to sizzling 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 rooster works too if you would like it slightly lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings slightly additional punch, however truthfully, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack can be superior if you would like slightly kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Lower them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chew. A mixture of purple and yellow tomatoes appears actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them an excellent rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely advantageous to make use of straight from the can, however you may as well use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Purple Onion: Purple onions are the very best for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely non-obligatory! Contemporary 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 type.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite delicate or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth stage you want.
Lime Juice: Contemporary-squeezed is all the time going to have the very best taste, however bottled lime juice works too.

Modify the Warmth

Among the finest issues about cowboy pasta is how simple it’s to tweak the spice. For those who’re into warmth, seize a sizzling salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a couple of additional jalapeño slices on prime. Not a fan of spicy? Persist with 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 simple to make forward. You possibly can whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Prepare dinner the pasta and floor beef the evening earlier than, too. Simply preserve them separate so every part stays contemporary. Once 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. Executed and performed.