Easy Taco Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Bright Tex-Mex pasta with veggies, cheese, and lime dressing ideal for warm-weather get-togethers.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
07 - 1 avocado, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Dressing

10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

16 - 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
17 - Fresh cilantro for serving

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, cilantro, and cheddar cheese.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooled pasta to the vegetable and cheese mixture. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop.
06 - Just before serving, top with crushed tortilla chips and additional fresh cilantro if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a make-ahead dream that actually gets better as it sits, letting all those taco flavors get cozy with each other.
  • Nobody will believe you threw this together in thirty minutes, and that's the real victory.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand over a stove, which means you can actually enjoy your own party.
02 -
  • Don't add the avocado until serving time or it'll oxidize into that depressing brown color that ruins the whole aesthetic and honestly makes you question your life choices.
  • The dressing thickens slightly as it sits because the pasta and vegetables release their own moisture, so if you're serving hours later and it looks dry, that's actually normal—don't add more dressing or you'll end up with a soggy mess.
03 -
  • Squeeze your lime juice fresh, taste the dressing before the pasta goes in, and adjust the seasoning then—it's your only chance to fix it before everything gets mixed together.
  • If you're worried about avocado browning, toss the diced pieces in a tiny bit of lime juice right before serving and they'll stay bright green instead of looking like you made this three days ago.
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