Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

This is among the most filling pasta salads on the market! It’s filled with meat, cheese, beans, and greens. Convey to a BBQ or make as a fast and straightforward dinner at dwelling and we promise there received’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 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! Bear in mind, pasta salad is simply pretty much 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 stage, so in the event you prefer it scorching, ensure 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 quick 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 if you would like it a little bit lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a little bit further punch, however actually, any cheese you’re keen on will work. Pepper jack can be superior if you would like a little bit kick.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Both one is ideal. Lower them in halves or quarters so that you get the proper chew. A mixture of crimson and yellow tomatoes appears actually fairly too.
Black Beans: Give them a superb 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.
Pink Onion: Pink onions are one of the best for consuming uncooked.
Jalapeño: Completely elective! Recent 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 sort.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite delicate or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth stage you want.
Lime Juice: Recent-squeezed is all the time going to have one of the best taste, however bottled lime juice works too.

Regulate the Warmth

Among the best issues about cowboy pasta is how simple it’s to tweak the spice. For those who’re into warmth, seize a scorching salsa verde, bump up the chili powder, and toss a number of further jalapeño slices on high. Not a fan of spicy? Stick to 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 little thing stays contemporary. If you’re able to eat, all you’ve acquired to do is chop the cheese and tomatoes and toss all of it collectively in an enormous bowl. Performed and performed.