Taco Pasta Salad – a creamy pasta salad with all your favorite taco toppings! Great to make ahead and have in the fridge for dinner or to take to any get together.

Summer seems to be the season for entertaining. Maybe even more so than the holidays. It seems that every weekend we have a different barbecue to go to, pool party, family reunion or something else. Something about the nice weather has everyone wanting to get outside and spend time with friends and family.

One thing almost all of these events have in common? You usually need to bring a dish to share. I always go for something easy I can make ahead of time like Southwestern Corn Salad. Or sometimes I will bring dessert. But it is always a no bake dessert. Like Boston Cream Pie Ice Box Cake.

In the summer I kind of live on pasta salads. I have them for lunch during the week, bring them to parties, make them as a side dish when we have burgers or grill Cilantro Lime Chicken, or even just serve them for dinner.

For years my son didn’t think he liked pasta salad. Something about cold pasta, he just didn’t like. Last year that changed! Pasta Salad with Summer Sausage and Grilled Veggies  is now a way I can get him to eat his vegetables. So when I made this taco pasta salad, I was excited to see what he thought. He loved it, and I know it will be on repeat all summer long.

Taco pasta salad is made with a creamy salsa dressing, and mixed with your favorite taco toppings. I used tomatoes, black olives, avocado, and corn. But you could do whatever your family likes. Use black beans, or bell peppers, or red onions; just about anything! You can even top with crushed tortilla chips for a little crunch!

You can make this taco pasta salad the day before, or in the morning and have it waiting for you for dinner. The flavors come together if you let is sit for a couple hours. Plus the only work is really cooking the pasta and mixing the dressing. So with just a few minutes work you can have this creamy pasta salad on the table tonight!

This is my go to cold pasta salad when I have to take a dish to a party.  It always disappears quickly!  We have a friend who claims he doesn’t like cold pasta, but I got him to try this and he loved it. It is that good!  So if you are on the fence, give it a try. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Plus when you can mix in your own favorite veggies like black beans or use cubes of cheddar cheese instead of shredded, skip the black olives etc. You know you are going to love it!

More great Summer Dinner Recipes

• Turkey Burgers
• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Chicken Skewers
• Southwest Cobb Salad
• Pasta Carbonara with Corn and Chiles
• Smoked Tri Tip
• Caesar Pasta Salad
• Honey Sesame Chicken Salad Wraps

Continue to Content

Yield: 8

Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

Print

Taco Pasta Salad - a creamy pasta salad with all your favorite taco toppings! Great to make ahead and have in the fridge for dinner or to take to any get together.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3/4 cup mayo
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning

Salad

• 1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 small can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 avocados, diced
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. In a bowl whisk together mayo, sour cream, salsa, and taco seasoning until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together cooked pasta, corn, tomatoes, cheese, olives, avocado and green onions. Add dressing, and mix until everything is evenly coated.
3. Place in fridge until chilled.

Notes

Can be made the day ahead

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 484Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 42mgSodium 711mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 6gSugar 5gProtein 12g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a picture on social media!

I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!

 Connect with Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts! 

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

Save

• Author
• Recent Posts

Follow me

Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

Follow me

Latest posts by Erin S (see all)

• Weekly Meal Plan Week 301 - April 17, 2021
• Homemade Churros - April 16, 2021
• Cheeseburger Pizza - April 14, 2021

Stay Connected

Signup for all the new recipes to be sent to your inbox on Saturday morning!

SUBSCRIBE!

You have Successfully Subscribed!