PrintQuick & Creamy Taco Pasta Salad with Doritos Crunch
This is a flavorful, easy cold pasta salad that combines seasoned ground beef, cheese, fresh vegetables, and a creamy Tex-Mex dressing, topped with a satisfying Doritos crunch. It is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or quick weeknight dinners.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 bag (about 4 ounces) crushed Doritos chips
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool it down quickly. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning mix and water into the cooked ground beef. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let the beef cool completely.
- While the beef cools, prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch dressing, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a very large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, the cooled taco-seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and red onion.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and chill the taco pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. This makes it a great potluck side dish.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed Doritos chips over the top for the best crunch. Serve this crowd pleasing salad cold.
Notes
- For meal prepping, store the crushed Doritos separately and add them right before serving to maintain the crunch.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef if you prefer a lighter option.
- If you want a tangier dressing, add a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the dressing mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 38
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 24
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 24
- Cholesterol: 65