Cowboy Pasta Salad

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Cowboy Pasta Salad is loaded with all the best flavors of summer! Prep your ingredients while the pasta cooks, then toss everything with a creamy homemade dressing. It’s enough to feed the family for dinner or take as a potluck side. And this recipe is easy to customize too!

titled: Cowboy Pasta Salad


 

Cowboy Pasta Salad

This loaded cowboy pasta salad is the newest addition to my long list of pasta salad recipes, and it may be the heartiest one yet!

Savory ground beef, black beans, and bacon plus sweet corn and cherry tomatoes are balanced with diced green chiles and jalapenos for some heat. 

Throw it all in a bowl with tender pasta, cheddar cheese, and a tangy dressing for a simple meal you’ll crave again and again!

I love easy ground beef recipes, especially when I’ve been testing recipes for days and simply can’t come up with any more ideas. 

And when it comes to the summer months, nothing beats a pasta salad that you can have ready and waiting in the fridge!  

ingredients for cowboy pasta salad recipe

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Pasta – The ridges of rotini noodles grab onto all that dressing, but any short-cut pasta will do the job — try penne, fusilli, rigatoni, and cavatappi.

    Want to really put the cowboy in loaded cowboy pasta salad? Use rotelle pasta, which looks like wagon wheels!
  • Ground Beef – Opt for a lean blend so there’s less grease to drain off once browned.

    You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken if preferred, though you may want to use extra seasoning.
  • Beans – I like the flavor and texture of black beans in this cowboy pasta salad recipe. Good alternatives are red kidney beans or pinto beans.
  • Veggies – You’ll need cherry tomatoes, red onion, and corn. Feel free to use fresh kernels sliced off the cob, canned kernels (drained), or frozen corn that’s been thawed.

    If needed, you can substitute grape tomatoes and either shallots or green onion.
  • Peppers – We’re using both diced green chiles from a can and fresh jalapeno for crunch.

    They don’t really make the cowboy pasta salad spicy, but you can certainly leave them out if you’d like.

    I’d at least replace the jalapeno with red or green bell pepper — just be sure to dice it really small.
  • Dressing – Mix together your favorite BBQ sauce with mayo, sour cream, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

    For a lighter version, you can use low-fat mayonnaise and swap the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
cooked pasta in a bowl

How to Make Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad

  • Cook pasta to al dente.

Follow the package instructions and be sure to salt the water for flavor. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. 

The noodles will continue to soften as they soak up some of the dressing, so it’s best to undercook them slightly. 

If they’re already soft when combined with the other ingredients, your pasta salad will end up mushy.

  • Prep the rest of the ingredients while the pasta cooks.

Start the bacon when you put the pot of water on to boil so it has time to cook and cool. 

Otherwise, get the ground beef browning while you chop, drain, and shred the rest.

Save some time when slicing the tomatoes by placing them between two lids and running a serrated knife through the middle.

You can also prep just about everything ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

Then, toss it all together with the dressing and pop it back in the fridge an hour before you plan on serving.

  • Make the dressing ahead of time if possible.

Whisk it all together and store covered in the refrigerator up to a day or two in advance. This allows the flavors to marry and meld in the best way.

Plus, it’s one less thing to do the day of!

  • Chill pasta salad with ground beef before serving.

It’ll be tempting to dig right in, but this dish tastes even better when it’s had some time to sit — and when everything is the same temperature.

Chill for at least an hour, but longer is even better!

browned ground beef in a cast iron skillet

Prep Ahead

  • Cook and crumble bacon
  • Brown ground beef
  • Drain and rinse beans (and corn if canned)
  • Halve cherry tomatoes
  • Chop onion, jalapeno, and cilantro
  • Shred cheese
  • Mix dressing

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

  • Large Pot and Strainer for the pasta 
  • Skillet – This is my go-to pan that I’ve had for over a decade! It heats evenly and cleans up beautifully with a little baking soda so it still looks brand new.
  • Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
  • Cheese Grater – Fresh cheese makes this recipe even better! Skip the bagged shreds and buy a block to grate yourself.
  • Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
cowboy pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Serving Suggestions 

Feel free to get creative and add in extra ingredients — or swap out any you don’t like!

Olives, bell peppers, cucumber, and avocado would all be tasty in this cowboy pasta salad recipe.

The cheddar can be swapped for Pepper Jack if you want some extra heat, and fresh herbs such as dill, basil, and oregano would be welcome.

Pasta salad with ground beef is hearty enough for a meal, but it makes a great potluck or cookout side dish too.

And sure, it already has beans and corn, but I’ll never turn down some fresh corn on the cob and a helping of baked beans in the summertime!

mixed cowboy pasta salad

Storing Leftover Pasta Salad with Ground Beef

Cowboy pasta salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, either covered or in an airtight container. Be sure to give it a good stir before serving.

Since the pasta will absorb the dressing the longer it sits, the texture tends to dry out over time.

I like to make extra dressing to freshen up leftovers with — simply store it in a jar in the fridge!

Cowboy Pasta Salad Recipe FAQ

How do you keep pasta from sticking together?

Rinse with water! That stickiness is from the natural starch in the noodles that’s drawn out when boiled. 

Since we’re already rinsing in cold water to stop the pasta from cooking, it’ll rinse away the starch at the same time. Easy peasy!

Can I serve cowboy pasta salad warm?

While you’re certainly welcome to, I think it tastes better chilled — especially to give the flavors time to meld.

It’s safe at room temperature for an hour or two, but don’t leave it out longer than that. Because of the creamy dressing, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator when not being eaten.

Is there a vegetarian version?

No, but it’s easy to make one! Swap the ground beef and bacon with sautéed mushrooms and add extra veggies.

bowl of cowboy pasta salad

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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closeup of cowboy pasta salad on a fork

cowboy pasta salad on a fork

Cowboy Pasta Salad

Donna Elick
Cowboy Pasta Salad has a little bit of everything, tossed in a tangy, creamy dressing that you can whip up in minutes. Perfect for summer!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 6

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 can, 4 ounces diced green chilies
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, about 6 slices
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  • Heat a skillet over medium high heat and cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, green chilis, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red onion, diced jalapeno, cilantro, and cooked ground beef. Mix until completely combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the bbq sauce, mayonnaise, sour cream, spicy brown mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika salt, and pepper.
  • Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and toss gently to combine.
  • Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
  • Cover the pasta salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
  • Garnish with additional cilantro before serving and enjoy!

Donna’s Notes

The pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, make sure to stir before serving.
For a lighter version, you can substitute low-fat mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt in place of regular mayonnaise or sour cream. Ground chicken or ground turkey can be used in place of ground beef.
Feel free to add other ingredients based on your taste preferences. Some other great additions to this pasta salad are, olives, bell peppers, pepper jack cheese, cucumber, avocado, or fresh herbs such as dill, basil or oregano.
DONNA’S KITCHEN TIP: Grab two lids of the same size. You can use plasticware or lids from your fridge. Place one lid with the lip facing up, so you have an edge that will hold your food. Fill the lid with grape tomatoes. Place the second lid on top of the tomatoes with the lip facing down. Firmly press down on the top lid to hold the tomatoes in place but not too firm as to crush them. The two lips will hold the olives in place, so they do not roll off the lid. Slide your serrated knife between the lids and carefully slice through them. Watch your fingers. Now you have halved tomatoes in the blink of an eye!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 551cal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 399mg | Sugar: 7g | Fiber: 3g | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cowboy Pasta Salad - PIN

Originally published July 2024

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