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
Taco Pasta Salad Recipe
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.
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
- In a bowl whisk together mayo, sour cream, salsa, and taco seasoning until smooth. Set aside.
- 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.
- Place in fridge until chilled.
Notes
Can be made the day ahead
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 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.
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karlynn says
This might be my new favorite pasta salad!
Demeter says
Bring on summer and all the BBQs!! I know this will be a hit!!
Sabrina says
This is the perfect dish to bring to any get together especially because you can make it ahead of time. So easy!
Jen says
I’m always trying to get my kids to eat more veggies too. Can’t wait to try this!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
I LOVE this pasta salad!! It looks and sounds SO delicious!! YUM!!
Megan Ancheta says
What a great twist – I love the taco flavors in this! It looks so creamy and delicious!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
This looks so good! Love those festive colors and flavors!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
This looks really good! Love those festive colors and flavors!
IFortuna says
Delicious recipe! Best to make your own seasoning mix. I use cumin, mild chile powder and some oregano. Of course, you can personalize it but those are the seasonings of the Mexican kitchen. Instead of salsa, I use pico de gallo. Chopped, seeded tomatoes, green part of the green onion. and at least one bunch of fresh cilantro is mine. If you seed your tomatoes, it will last longer in the fridge. Don’t use sugar or salt until ready to serve or it will make your pico de gallo mushy and watery.
Rhonda Frazier says
Just made 1st time for a family reunion tomorrow. Delicious!! Cant wait to share with my family.
BeBe says
What can I use in the place of avocados?
Erin S says
You can just leave them out. Or add black beans or jalapenos or any other taco topping you like.