Easy Taco Pasta Salad (Printable)

Colorful Tex-Mex pasta with black beans, corn, avocado, and cheddar in a tangy lime dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
07 - 1 avocado, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Dressing

10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 ounce taco seasoning packet
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

16 - 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
17 - Extra cilantro for serving

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, cilantro, and cheddar cheese.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth and uniform.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the vegetable and cheese mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
06 - Top with crushed tortilla chips and additional cilantro just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a flavor explosion that tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did.
  • The dressing clings to every piece of pasta, so there's no watery bottom layer like some sad salads have.
  • It actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for prepping ahead or bringing anywhere.
  • Kids and adults demolish it equally, which is basically the highest compliment a dish can get.
02 -
  • The avocado will oxidize and turn gray if you cut it too far ahead—add it after chilling, right before you're about to serve or pack it up.
  • If you're making this more than a few hours ahead, hold back the tortilla chips until the last second or they'll dissolve into the dressing like sad confetti.
  • Taste the dressing before you mix it with everything—this is your chance to adjust salt, lime, or spice without disrupting the whole salad.
03 -
  • Rinse your canned beans and corn under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer—this removes excess sodium and starch that would make the salad gloppy.
  • Make the dressing while the pasta is still cooling so it's ready the moment you need it, and whisk it one more time just before adding it to the vegetables.
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