Description
Hearty cowboy pasta salad delivers southwestern flair with bold ranch dressing and zesty mix of proteins. Crisp bacon, seasoned beef, and colorful vegetables create a crowd-pleasing dish you’ll crave at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground beef, cooked and drained
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 16 ounces (454 grams) bow tie pasta
Vegetables and Beans:
- 1 15 ounces (425 grams) can corn, drained
- 1 15 ounces (425 grams) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
Cheese and Dressing:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ounces (28 grams) packet taco seasoning
Instructions
- Boil bow tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process, then let cool completely.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat and brown ground beef thoroughly. Drain excess fat and sprinkle taco seasoning, stirring to coat meat evenly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Crumble crispy bacon into bite-sized pieces. Prepare remaining ingredients: slice cherry tomatoes, chop scallions, and shred cheddar cheese.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, seasoned beef, bacon fragments, sweet corn kernels, black beans, sliced tomatoes, and chopped scallions.
- Whisk mayonnaise, tangy barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a separate container until smooth and well-integrated.
- Drizzle prepared dressing over pasta mixture. Gently fold ingredients to ensure even coating, preventing pasta from breaking.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese across the top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 60 minutes, allowing flavors to develop and meld together.
- Before serving, give salad a gentle stir. Serve chilled as a robust and zesty side dish or light meal.
Notes
- Adjust the heat level by choosing a mild or spicy taco seasoning to match your preference for bold or subtle flavors.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version of the salad.
- Toast the bacon slightly longer for extra crispiness, which adds a delightful crunch to the overall texture of the dish.
- Prepare the salad a day ahead to let the flavors intensify and develop a more complex taste profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 622 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 636 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg