Description
Cowboy Pasta Salad is a hearty and flavorful American-style pasta salad featuring rotini pasta, ground beef or turkey, black beans, corn, fresh vegetables, and a tangy barbecue mayo dressing. Perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, or as a satisfying side dish, this salad combines smoky, spicy, and fresh flavors with creamy textures for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rotini pasta, cooled
- 1 cup cooked ground beef or ground turkey, drained
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or canned
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Prepare the rotini pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it completely.
- Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, cooked ground beef or turkey, rinsed black beans, corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, diced bell pepper, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro. Gently toss to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and well blended.
- Mix salad and dressing: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all the ingredients evenly with the dressing.
- Refrigerate: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This chilling step allows the flavors to meld and develop, enhancing the taste of the salad.
- Final touch: Before serving, give the salad a good stir and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.
Notes
- You can substitute Greek yogurt for part of the mayonnaise for a lighter, tangier dressing.
- Add diced jalapeños to the salad or dressing to introduce some extra heat.
- For a creamier texture, add diced avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
