Description
Ranch Taco Pasta Salad is a vibrant, flavorful dish combining rotini pasta with fresh vegetables, black beans, corn, and a zesty ranch-taco dressing. Perfectly chilled and topped with crunchy tortilla strips or Doritos, this salad offers a satisfying blend of textures and southwestern flavors, making it an ideal side or light main for gatherings and lunchboxes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounce box rotini pasta, fully cooked and cooled
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can corn, drained
Dressing and Garnish
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- 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
- Make sure the pasta is fully cooled before mixing with dressing to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- For extra protein, add cooked shredded chicken or ground beef.
- This salad can be made a day ahead to deepen the flavors.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
