Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Residence Chef

This is without doubt 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!

In the event 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 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! Keep 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 permits you to actually mess around with the warmth degree, so when you prefer it scorching, make 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 one of the best taste. Floor turkey or rooster works too in order for you it a bit of lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a bit of further punch, however actually, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack could be superior in order for you a bit of kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Lower them in halves or quarters so that you get the proper chunk. A mixture of pink and yellow tomatoes seems actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them a superb rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely tremendous to make use of straight from the can, however you too can use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Purple Onion: Purple onions are one of the best for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely non-obligatory! 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 variety.
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 one of the 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. In the event you’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss just a few further jalapeño slices on prime. 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 simple 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 preserve them separate so every thing stays contemporary. While you’re able to eat, all you’ve bought to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in an enormous bowl. Finished and carried out.