Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Residence Chef

This is among the most filling pasta salads on the market! It’s full of meat, cheese, beans, and greens. Deliver to a BBQ or make as a fast and simple dinner at dwelling and we promise there received’t be any complaints about leaving hungry!

In case 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 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 lets you actually mess around with the warmth degree, so in case you prefer it sizzling, be sure 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 one of the best taste. Floor turkey or hen works too if you would like it a bit lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a bit further punch, however truthfully, any cheese you like will work. Pepper jack can be superior if you would like a bit kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Minimize them in halves or quarters so that you get the right chew. A mixture of pink and yellow tomatoes seems to be actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them a very good rinse and drain to maintain issues from getting soggy.
Canned Corn: Completely wonderful to make use of straight from the can, however you may also use uncooked contemporary corn or frozen corn.
Pink Onion: Pink onions are one of the best 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! Cook dinner your individual or seize the pre-cooked type.
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.

Regulate the Warmth

The most effective issues about cowboy pasta is how simple it’s to tweak the spice. In case you’re into warmth, seize a sizzling salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a couple of further jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Keep on with gentle 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’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 evening earlier than, too. Simply preserve them separate so every thing stays contemporary. Once you’re able to eat, all you’ve received to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Finished and finished.