Description

This taco pasta salad feeds a crowd and is always a big hit! Loaded with seasoned beef, crisp veggies, plenty of cheese, and topped with a creamy, sweet, tangy dressing and crushed Doritos for crunch.

Ingredients

1 pound rotini
1 pound lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
8 ounces canned corn, drained
1 small onion, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups shredded Fiesta blend cheese
16 ounces Catalina dressing
3 tablespoons sour cream
9 ounces Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rotini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef over medium heat, crumbling as it cooks. Drain grease, then add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Cook 5 minutes until most liquid evaporates.

3. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, seasoned beef, black beans, corn, onion, tomatoes, and cheese.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the Catalina dressing and sour cream.

5. Pour dressing over the pasta mixture and stir to coat evenly.

6. If serving immediately, stir in crushed Doritos and lettuce, then garnish with cilantro.

7. If making ahead, refrigerate and add Doritos, lettuce, and cilantro just before serving.

Notes

This salad keeps well in the fridge, but the lettuce and Doritos can get soggy, so add them just before serving.

This recipe makes a very large batch and is easy to halve if needed.