This Taco Pasta Salad is a family favorite! This pasta salad recipe is perfect for BBQs, potlucks and big family gatherings! It has a secret ingredient that stops everyone in their tracks!
Make a bunch of BLT Ranch Burgers, a big Zucchini Sheet Cake, a huge batch of my mom’s Bacon Spinach Salad and you have the perfect menu for a big family get together.
Growing up with two older brothers, I always wanted a sister. I remember one year for Christmas I actually asked my parents for a twin sister, because I was kind of a punk as a kid.
They gave me a mirror.
I wonder where I got my punkiness from.
And then after growing up with two brothers, I married a man with FIVE.
But the thing about all those brothers is that it has actually meant sisters! Seven sister in laws!
Don’t tell anyone, but one of my very favorite sister in laws is the wife of the brother who is just one older than Nathan (did you follow that?). Deanna has been part of my in law family the longest, so I have known longer than almost all of my other sister in laws. She is so many awesome things, but I enjoy her most as an aunt and as a friend. She seriously loves my kids so much, it is the greatest thing to watch. And even though right now she lives on the other side of the stupid planet (remember when I made this Pina Colada Sangria for her send off?) and when I text her I’m either interrupting her breakfast or keeping her awake too late, she is one of my favorite people text with . . . I always end up cry laughing ????
THE BEST TACO PASTA SALAD RECIPE
So this is her recipe. She has made it for tons of family functions, and I loooooove it. I snarf it down every time she makes it. The secret ingredient to this, if you can believe it, is French dressing. I know that sounds super totally weird, but it is all the exact right flavor combos.
This makes a HUGE batch, so it is perfect for BBQs and family functions. You can make it ahead of time, but just wait to add the dressing and chips until right before you serve it otherwise the chips and the lettuce will get all soggy and weird.
Enjoy!
OTHER RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE
If you like this Taco Pasta Salad, you will also love these other great family recipes:
Taco Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef cooked and drained
- 1 pound rotini cooked and drained and rinsed with cold water
- 1 oz or 3 TBSPs taco seasoning
- 1 green pepper diced small
- 1 small yellow onion diced small
- 1 pint grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
- 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups French dressing
- 9 3/4 oz bag Nacho Doritos crushed
Instructions
- Stir together the beef and the taco seasoning.
- In a very large bowl, mix together the beef, noodles, green pepper, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese.
- Mix in the French dressing until everything is well coated. Then stir in the chips. Enjoy right away.
ColleenB.~Texas says
Look delicious. For my son in laws I will have to add a few sliced jalapeno peppers or have them on the side ( on the side would be better for those you wouldn’t want the peppers in their salad) and they can add the peppers themselves .
Roughly; about how many servings would this make?
I would say this will give you roughly 20 servings, obviously that depends on the the size of the serving. It makes a BIG batch.
Chrissy says
Made this tonight I usually make Taco salad but the kids and I decided to try this. They couldn’t shovel it in fast enough and had several servings. Even my 12 yr old who I have to almost obliterate onions and peppers to sneak in something loved it. Thank you for sharing the recipe ! We are going to try the Crab Pasta Salad next
I’m so so happy you liked it Chrissy!
Sybil Brown says
Can you use a different dressing? Don’t like French
I’ve had other people use Russian, Catalina, or Southwestern Ranch.
Karen says
I use three cheese ranch
Amanda says
What kind of green peppers is it that you use ?
Marilyn says
I use green bell peppers or red, yellow or orange bell peppers: just what happens to be in my frig…all good, but green gives it a snap of color.
Donna says
Yes it does. Good with sour cream also
JoDee says
now that sounds good.
Dee says
Do You Eat This When Hamburg Is Hot Or Is This A Cold Salad And Eat It A Warm Temp
I prefer it all cold, but I have heard from others that it is good both ways.
SCV says
I have ate
it both ways the first night hot and then leftovers took right of fridge and ate it cold the second night. Both ways are just as good.So your choice. :)
Caroline says
Sorry to be the grammar police but my grandfather was an English teacher so these things drive me crazy….. the plural of sister in law is “sisters in law” (not sister in laws….. the sisters are multiple, not the law). Same rule for things like “secretaries of state” or “jacks in the box” or whatever. Sorry for the correction but thanks for the recipe…. looks delicious!
Great, thanks.
Pam says
Caroline, I appreciate good grammar as well, but seriously, is that all you took away from this delicious recipe? You don’t always have to comment – keep some things to yourself.
B R M says
Agreed! I am a teacher and that is the LAST thing I was paying attention to.
Cindy Quinton says
I also AM a teacher, or at least was for many years. I have a school of thought on correcting other’s grammar. Unless you are someone’s parent or teacher, it is inherently rude to correct people. So, unless you are being intentionally rude or have been asked for advice, don’t. Even your children and students may not care to be corrected in a public forum.
Kacie says
Completely agree! Having a husband who was born deaf- whom often does not hear words correctly and quite honestly never properly learned how to spell and two children who struggle daily with spelling. They never text anyone outside of immediate family, won’t ever post on social media, question every word written because people can’t follow the golden rule. Is the placement of an S really your business? I can guarantee- it’s not worth pointing out to make someone else.
Maggie May says
So all the commenters correcting the original grammar commenter are also being rude? Just wondering.
Ann says
I totally agree with you! If it bothers them let them change it on their own recipe
Linda says
I agree get over yourself!
sgb says
It was the first think I noticed. I like a taco salad with thousand island dressing too.
Patricia Pinkston says
I make mine with half and half taco sauce and Thousand Island salad dressing. Yummy!
Liz says
Really! Was that necessary? Rude!
Alice says
Why Does Some People have to be Rude?.. if your not My Mother Or Teacher just set back and Relax you don’t have to Correct people.. Keep your Rudness to your self please..No one Is Perfect,,
Angie says
Who gives a rat’s ass
Tammy says
Do you do this cold? Or is the meat and pasta still hot when you add everything?
I serve it cold! I ran the noodles under cold water to stop them from cooking, and then the beef cools off pretty quickly.
Kathy Duff says
Any reason to wait and add the taco seasoning after meat is cooked instead of adding to hamburger while cooking? Maybe more flavor when added after? Am making tomorrow. When I make Taco Salad I always use hot sauce and Catalina on it and love that, so this will be sooo good. Thank you.
I thought it would add more flavor, and honestly, when I was making it I was making a video and it was just easier this way. You could do it both ways and I think it would be delicious.
Becky says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I was wondering about how you served it too (hot or cold)…so I’m grateful I checked the comments. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Kim Meinecke says
Has anyone tried reheating it a day or so later?
Hi Kim, I really wouldn’t recommend it. It’s super delicious cold.
Tammy L says
is there a specific brand and flavor of french dresssing that you use? i have a similar recipe that calls for Catalina French (its sort of sweet)
I just used the generic Target brand
Emily says
Skip the French dressing and use good ‘ol Dorthy Lynch. Only made here in Nebraska! It will blow any other dressing out of the water. I promise, you won’t regret trying it!! (You may have to find it on the internet!)
Gail says
Dorthy Lynch isn’t that great I’m sorry I have relatives in Nebraska and I won a gift bag at a family reunion and I thought good a new dressing and my family didn’t care for it at all and I live in Wisconsin and it’s in some stores and we was telling my father in law and he says you are right I’ll stick with western or ranch they can keep it . Going to try this tomorrow on my family because they always want tacos. And if you don’t wash your pasta everything will stick to it better you should never rinse pasta
Jackie says
is here something you can use instead of Spike?
There’s no Spike in this particular recipe, but the Crab Pasta Salad has Spike. I’ve had other people have good luck with Old Bay Seasoning.
Penny says
OMG, I Love spike, I use the no salt version & add a little sea salt. I put that Sh!t on everything!????
Finally! Someone who knows what it is!
Teri C. says
Would you have nutritional values?
I don’t Teri, but try the app My Fitness Pal! It’s super easy to use and puts all the nutritional information together for you
staci naab says
I make mine with miracle whip instead of French dressing and I don’t add pasta. Instead I use Doritos and chili cheese fritos..but the next time I make my recipe for it,I’m going to just add pasta to my original recipe and try it
Katie says
sounds delicious and will be making some soon, could you recommend another dressing please as French dressing here in the uk is not tomato based with spices. Would thousand island dressing be a good substitute? Thanks in advance
Thousand Island or Catilina would work well, or just google French dressing – any recipe that has ketchup as the base would be good!
Candy says
I used mayo with pace chunky salsa for the dressing seeing as I didn’t want the sweetness and it turned out great.
Audrey says
Do you add water with your homemade taco seasoning to the meat like you would if you were using a packet mix?
Nope! No water :)