Description
Ranch Taco Pasta Salad is a flavorful, easy-to-make side dish that combines tender rotini pasta with crunchy bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, black beans, corn, and a creamy ranch-taco dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick family dinners—this crowd-pleasing salad comes together in less than an hour and can be customized with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta & Vegetables
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- 12 ounce box rotini pasta, fully cooked
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can corn, drained
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Dressing
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- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
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Optional Toppings
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- Chopped cilantro, to garnish
- Tortilla strips or Doritos, crunched on top
Instructions
- Make Dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the ranch dressing and taco seasoning. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Set aside.
- Coat Pasta: In a large mixing bowl, add the fully cooked and cooled rotini pasta. Pour the prepared ranch-taco dressing over the pasta. Toss thoroughly to ensure the pasta is coated evenly with the dressing.
- Add Veggies & Beans: Add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced green and red bell peppers, diced red onion, black beans, and corn to the pasta and dressing mixture. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are well distributed.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and place the pasta salad in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to cool thoroughly.
- Serve: When ready to serve, garnish the pasta salad with chopped cilantro and sprinkle with tortilla strips or crunched Doritos for extra crunch and flavor.
Notes
- If your pasta is still warm from cooking, chill the dish for longer to ensure it is served cold.
- This salad is best enjoyed cold; refrigerate until serving.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Feel free to customize with additional vegetables or cheese as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
