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Taco Pasta Salad

Taco pasta salad with seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, and taco toppings tossed in a creamy ranch-salsa dressing. Chilled for 2 hours so the pasta soaks up flavor, then finished with crunchy tortilla chips and fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb pasta shells or rotini
Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
Cheese and vegetables
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
Dressing and toppings
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 0.25 cup salsa
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
  • 1 lettuce
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 cilantro

Method
 

Cook and prep
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until chilled. Keep it moving during rinsing so the shells or rotini don’t clump.
  2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, then stir in taco seasoning according to package directions. Cool the beef completely before mixing so the salad stays creamy instead of runny.
Mix the creamy taco dressing
  1. Mix ranch dressing with salsa in a bowl until evenly combined. Stop as soon as the streaks disappear.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, ground beef, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn, and red onion in a large bowl. Fold gently so the pasta stays intact.
  2. Pour the ranch-salsa dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. Toss until everything looks glossy, with no dry pasta pockets.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cover the bowl so the pasta stays crisp-tender and the flavors meld.
Serve
  1. Top the chilled salad with crushed tortilla chips, lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro right before serving. Add chips last to keep the crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the cooked ground beef and rinsed pasta fully before assembling—warm components can thin the ranch dressing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep tortilla chips separate if you want extra crunch, and add lettuce/cilantro fresh when reheating or serving. Freezing is not recommended because pasta and dressing change texture. For a lighter swap, use low-fat ranch dressing and reduced-sodium taco seasoning.