Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

This is likely 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 simple dinner at residence and we promise there gained’t be any complaints about leaving hungry!

Should 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 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! Keep in mind, pasta salad is simply 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 when you prefer it sizzling, ensure 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 brief pasta like fusilli or penne.
Floor Beef: We like utilizing 80/20 beef for the perfect taste. Floor turkey or rooster works too in order for you it somewhat lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings somewhat additional punch, however actually, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack could be superior in order for you somewhat kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Lower them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chunk. A mixture of purple and yellow tomatoes seems to be actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them an excellent 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 recent corn or frozen corn.
Pink Onion: Pink onions are the perfect 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! Cook dinner your personal or seize the pre-cooked variety.
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 at all times going to have the perfect 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. Should you’re into warmth, seize a sizzling salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a number of additional jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Stick to delicate 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 hold them separate so every thing stays recent. While you’re able to eat, all you’ve received to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in an enormous bowl. Accomplished and completed.