This Southwestern Pasta Salad is like a giant deconstructed taco!Loaded with goodies and coated in a kicked up zesty southwestern dressing, it’s great for summer potlucks and get togethers.

Southwestern Pasta Salad Recipe

Everyone loves my Cowboy Pasta Salad so much, I used that as a starting point, changed up some ingredients and gave it a Southwestern twist. I love all the different flavors and textures. With ground beef, tomatoes, lettuce, taco seasoning, and crushed up tortilla chips, it’s sort of like a giant deconstructed taco!

This southwestern pasta salad would be perfect for a potluck or anyone hosting a get-together for the 4th of July. If you already have your menu planned, no worries! This is good all year long.

Ingredients Needed

This pasta salad recipe calls for a handful of easy to find inexpensive ingredients.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Pasta – I use rotini for this salad because I love how the ridges and swirls pick up all the flavor bits, but any short pasta works.
• Ground beef – I prefer lean, 80/20.
• Taco seasoning – 1 store bought packet or our homemade taco seasoning.
• Salt and pepper – These also season the salad.
• Pinto beans – A 15 ounce can, rinsed and drained. Black beans or chickpeas can be used instead, if preferred.
• Corn kernels – Fresh corn would be great when it’s in season, you could even grill it for another layer of flavor, but canned corn is very convenient for year round.
• Cherry tomatoes – Sliced in half.
• Scallions – For a subtle peppery onion taste and pop of color.
• Lettuce – Chopped up romaine lettuce is preferred, but iceberg lettuce is fine too.
• Crushed tortilla chips – This adds an awesome textural crunch, like eating a taco.
• For the sauce – Mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, Sriracha, lime juice, smoked paprika, onion powder, Mexican chile powder, and coarse salt.

How to Make Southwestern Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe is super easy to make in just a few steps.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)

1. Make the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Cook the beef. Brown the beef, breaking it up into tiny crumbles until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain off the fat. Stir in the taco seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Make the dressing. In an extra large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, Sriracha, lime juice, paprika , onion powder, chile powder, and salt until combined and smooth.
4. Assemble. To the bowl with the dressing, add in the cooked pasta, beef, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, scallions, and tortilla chips; toss to combine and coat. Serve and enjoy!

Video: Southwestern Pasta Salad

Serving and Storage

• Serving. This pasta salad is quite hearty, so you can easily serve it for dinner as a full meal, but it’s also great as a side dish. It’s best served right away or at room temperature, but can also be enjoyed cold if necessary.
• Make ahead. You can make the dressing and cook the ground beef the day before you’ll need the salad, then assemble and serve fresh. Store them all in their own separate containers in the fridge. If making ahead, omit the lettuce and tortilla chips and mix in right before serving, otherwise they get soggy. I also recommend reserving a little dressing or make extra to add in, since it gets soaked up by the pasta sitting overnight and won’t be as creamy.
• Storing leftovers. This salad is best served the same day its made, but it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 days.

More Pasta Salad Recipes:

• Macaroni Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad
• Lemon Orzo Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Cashew Chicken Pasta Salad

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!