Easy vegetarian Taco Pasta Salad. Give a tasty twist to your simple pasta and make this refreshing Cowboy style vegetable Pasta salad. This hearty vegetarian pasta salad is fully loaded with everything delicious.
It is perfect comfort food for days you want a fresh, fancy salad. It tastes amazing with seasoned veggies, tangy lime dressing, pasta, and cheese. The best part is you can make this easy pasta recipe in less than 20 minutes.
Cowboy Pasta is a fancy mix of two delicious meals. Think of it as a mix of pasta and a salad. It combines the flavor of taco and comfort of a hearty vegetarian pasta recipe.
Summer is the best time to enjoy salads. We love Falafel with tahini to Paneer Tikka Quinoa Salad, cowboy salad. All of these are delicious but this one is super tasty. It is flavorful, juicy, spicy and cheesy.
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Why We Love This Pasta Salad
There are so many reasons to love this quick, easy salad.
- Packed with colorful fresh veggies and nutrition
- Quick to make
- Has cheese ( Everyone loves cheese! right 🙂
- It’s not bland or boring
- Bursting with taco flavour
- Has a zesty lime dressing.
The sautéing of taco seasoning with corn and kidney beans gives this Salad that wow flavor. Trust me, this salad tastes like heaven, if I may say so.
The heat from the red chili flakes and smokiness from other seasonings really make this Cowboy Pasta salad an unusual one. It is not your regular macaroni recipe both in taste and look.
Cowboy Pasta Salad
The term cowboy gives this recipe a fancy feel. Apart from the punch that the dressing brings to this salad, it is loaded with perfectly cooked pasta, fresh and sauteed vegetables, and cheese.
All these ingredients when tossed together make for a delicious meal. It can easily be customised as per preference. And, makes for a perfect summer breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
I love to enjoy it cold with some tacos. And oftentimes I serve it warm so that the cheese melts and can be scooped with nachos. You can eat Cowboy pasta salad cold or you can serve it warm. It tastes absolutely mouthwatering, in both cases.
Cowboy Pasta Salad Ingredients
Pasta: Fusilli Pasta (You can use bow tie pasta, macaroni or penne as well)
Veggies: lemon juice, corn, kidney beans, tomato, cucumber
Seasoning: Taco seasoning, red chilli flakes, cumin powder, salt, olive oil
Cheese:I have used grated cheddar cheese. You can add some crumbled cotija cheese that tastes nice as well.
Step by Step Cowboy Pasta Salad Recipe
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Sprinkle salt and add the pasta in it. Cook the pasta till al dente. Drain them using a mesh strainer. [photos 1,2,3]
Heat oil in a pan or skillet, add corn and boiled kidney beans in it. [photos 4] Saute and add taco seasoning in it. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Once done, switch off the heat and keep the mixture aside. [photos 5,6]
In a small bowl pour olive oil, lime juice, salt, cumin, and red chili flakes. Mix it and keep aside. [photos 1,2,3]
Take a mixing bowl and add cooked pasta, corn and kidney bean mix, cucumber, baby tomatoes, and shredded cheese. Pour the dressing on it and mix everything well with a spoon. [photos 4,5,6]
Cowboy Pasta is ready to serve.
Step by Step Video
Pasta Salad Dressing
When you add your favorite vegetables, spices and toss it in a zippy dressing, you make a creamy, tasty meal. You can make pasta salad as mild or spicy as you like it. You can keep it simple and fresh with the ingredients listed above or add your own in this salad.
Add-ons
The taste of a meal depends on its ingredients and in the recipe. This Pasta salad is so versatile, you can add any ingredient of your choice to personalise it.
Feel free to add other vegetables like avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, bell peppers, grilled tofu, pineapple etc.
If you want to add vegetarian protein – You can add tofu, paneer, fresh mozzarella.
For non-vegetarian version You can add Bbq chicken, grilled chicken, grilled prawns etc.
Whatever you add, every bite of this pasta salad is filled with flavor.
Can I make Pasta Salad One Day Ahead?
You know I like to meal plan and try to plan ahead. But making salad with veggies and pasta ahead is not a good idea. Veggies become limp and pasta becomes soggy and dry.
When I want to make pasta salad ahead, I prep all my ingredients and store them in the fridge but leave out last step of mixing salad. I mix and toss all ingredients and salad dressing when we are ready to eat.
To Serve Taco Pasta Salad
This cowboy style pasta salad is so versatile that you can serve this as main dish for dinner, as a side dish, with nachos or even stuffed in tacos.
You can even make the entire salad ahead of time and just add the dressing right before serving. With this recipe in mind, you can quickly turn boring salads to easy meal preps or office lunch recipes.
Recipe Notes and Pro-Tips
- Do not overcook your pasta. Cook the pasta as per the instructions given at the back of the packet. The pasta should have a little bite to it, otherwise, the salad will become soggy.
- Before mixing the pasta with the ingredients make sure that it is cool.
- You can also make the dressing ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
- I have used boiled fresh corn and beans, you can use canned beans and canned corn too.
More Such Recipes You Can Try
Cowboy Caviar – Texas Style Bean Salad
Red Sauce Pasta
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Falafel Salad with Tahini Dressing
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Taco Pasta Salad
Equipment
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Pan
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Mixing bowl
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Salad spoons
Ingredients
- 4 cup Fusili Pasta uncooked
- 2 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Corn kernels boiled
- 1 cup kidney beans
- 1 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cook Pasta
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Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Cook Spicy Corn and Kidney Beans Mix
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Heat a large skillet. Add 1tbsp olive oil and toss together, corn, boiled kidney beans, taco seasoning and saute them for 3-4 minutes.
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Switch off the heat and keep this spicy corn and kidney beans mix aside.
Pasta Salad Dressing
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In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk to make dressing for the salad.
Assemble Pasta Salad
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Now in a big mixing bowl add in the corn and kidney bean spicy mix and halves of baby tomatoes, cubed cucumbers, cooked pasta.
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Fold in the cheese and Pour the salad dressing over everything and toss with salad mixing spoons and mix.
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Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not overcook your pasta. Cook the pasta as per the instructions given at the back of the packet. The pasta should have a little bite to it/al-dante, otherwise, the salad will become soggy.
- Before mixing the pasta with the ingredients and veggies make sure that pasta is cooled down.
- You can also make the dressing ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Nutrition
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