This is among the most filling pasta salads on the market! It’s full of meat, cheese, beans, and greens. Convey to a BBQ or make as a fast and simple dinner at residence and we promise there received’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 deliver it to a potluck or BBQ to feed a crowd.


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 for those who prefer it scorching, make sure that to make use of medium to scorching salsa.
Ingredient Notes


- 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 most effective taste. Floor turkey or hen works too if you need it somewhat lighter.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings somewhat further punch, however truthfully, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack could be superior if you need somewhat kick.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Reduce them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chunk. A mixture of pink and yellow tomatoes appears to be like actually fairly too.
- Black Beans: Give them a very good rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
- Canned Corn: Completely nice to make use of straight from the can, however you can too use uncooked recent corn or frozen corn.
- Purple Onion: Purple onions are the most effective for consuming uncooked.
- Jalapeño: Completely non-compulsory! Recent jalapeños add a pleasant spicy crunch, or use pickled for rather less warmth.
- Bacon: Crumble it up! Prepare 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 most effective taste, however bottled lime juice works too.
Alter 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 number of further jalapeño slices on prime. Not a fan of spicy? Follow gentle salsa and skip the chili powder and jalapeños. Simple!


Make-Forward Directions
This salad’s tremendous simple to make forward. You may 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 hold them separate so all the things stays recent. 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. Finished and performed.
Storage Directions
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. Any longer, and the pasta will grow to be soggy.