Easy Taco Pasta Salad (Print Version)

A colorful Tex-Mex pasta salad loaded with fresh veggies, cheese, and a zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll 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 taco seasoning
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled, then set aside.
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 cooled pasta to the vegetable and cheese mixture. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring even coating throughout.
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 extra cilantro as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It sits happily in the fridge for days, tasting even better as the flavors get to know each other.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes, which means no stress even if you're leaving work and heading straight to the picnic.
  • The tex-mex seasoning does all the heavy lifting—no fussing with individual spices or second-guessing yourself.
02 -
  • Do not add the avocado more than an hour before serving, or it will oxidize into an unappetizing gray color that guests will visibly question.
  • The dressing needs to be made with cold sour cream—warm or room temperature sour cream will curdle slightly when whisked, which breaks the texture.
03 -
  • Squeeze your lime juice fresh right before making the dressing—it takes 30 seconds and transforms the entire salad from good to unforgettable.
  • Taste the dressing before mixing everything together so you can adjust the seasoning while it's still just a small bowl instead of discovering it needs more salt once it's already combined with everything else.
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