Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Keep At House 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 straightforward dinner at house and we promise there gained’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 good things. We’re speaking beef, bacon, cheddar, and veggies.
Our creamy do-it-yourself 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, do-it-yourself 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 if you happen to prefer it scorching, ensure 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 hen works too in order for you it somewhat lighter.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings somewhat further 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. Reduce them in halves or quarters so that you get the proper chew. A mixture of pink 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 fantastic to make use of straight from the can, however you can too use uncooked recent corn or frozen corn.
Purple Onion: Purple 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 individual or seize the pre-cooked variety.
Salsa Verde: Seize a jar of your favourite gentle or medium salsa verde. Use no matter warmth stage 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

Among the finest issues about cowboy pasta is how straightforward it’s to tweak the spice. When 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? Stick to 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 straightforward to make forward. You’ll be able to whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Prepare dinner the pasta and floor beef the night time earlier than, too. Simply maintain them separate so the whole lot stays recent. Whenever 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. Executed and finished.