This Cowboy Pasta Salad is a ranch hand's dream, combining all the bold, smoky flavors of a classic campfire meal with the satisfying comfort of a creamy pasta salad.

This recipe is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, thanks to the protein-packed ingredients like beef, beans, and cheese. It'll keep you fueled up and ready to tackle whatever the day throws your way,

Why You Will Love This Cowboy Pasta

Here’s why you’ll be addicted to this dish:

Loaded with flavor: This pasta salad is packed with savory, smoky, and tangy flavors from ingredients like juicy ground beef, bacon, green chiles, spices, and a creamy southwest dressing. The combination of textures and tastes makes it irresistible.

Satisfying: With protein-rich ingredients like ground beef, bacon, black beans, and cheese, this pasta salad is substantial enough to serve as a main dish. It will keep you full and satisfied.

Crowd-pleasing: The recipe is designed to be a hit at potlucks, cookouts, and gatherings. Its bold flavors and appealing presentation are sure to impress your friends and family.

Customizable: You can easily adapt the recipe to your tastes by adjusting the spice level, swapping in different veggies, or using ground turkey instead of beef.

Easy to make: With simple steps like cooking the pasta, browning the beef, and mixing everything in a bowl, this recipe comes together quickly and easily.

INGREDIENTS

Here’s everything you need for this savory sensation:

Pasta (mini farfalle, rigatoni, or shells): The base of the pasta salad, provides a hearty and filling texture.
Ground Beef or Turkey: Adds a savory, meaty component that makes this a substantial meal. Turkey can be substituted for a leaner option.
Diced Green Chiles: Provide a mild, southwestern kick of flavor.
Spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder): A blend of spices that infuses the meat with bold, savory-smoky notes.
Jalapeños: Pickled jalapeños add a tangy, spicy punch to balance the richness of the dressing.
Bell Pepper: Fresh crunch and flavor from diced bell peppers.
Black Beans: Hearty beans add protein, fiber, and complementary southwestern flair.
Corn Kernels: Sweet bursts of corn provide textural contrast.
Cherry Tomatoes: Juicy tomatoes contribute to freshness and acidity.
Cheddar Cheese: Shredded or cubed cheddar adds a creamy, savory richness.
Red Onion and Cilantro: Aromatics that provide zesty flavor.
Bacon: Crispy bacon bits lend a smoky, salty, savory element.
Dressing (ketchup, mayo, sour cream, salsa, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika): A creamy, tangy, slightly sweet dressing that ties all the flavors together.

How To Make Cowboy Pasta Salad

Making this dish couldn’t be easier:

Step1.Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, adding hot sauce to taste. Set aside.

Step2.Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and toss with half the dressing in a large bowl.

Step3.In a skillet, brown the ground meat, drain excess fat, and stir in green chiles and spices. Let cool slightly.

Step4.Add the seasoned meat, chopped veggies, beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, onion, and cilantro to the pasta bowl. Toss gently to combine.

Step5.If serving immediately, add the crispy bacon and remaining dressing, tossing to coat. If serving later, hold off on adding bacon and remaining dressing until ready to serve.

Step6.Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more hot sauce, vinegar, or brown sugar to suit your preferences.

Step7.Serve the cowboy pasta salad slightly chilled, at room temperature, or heated through. Enjoy!

Tips For The Best Cowboy Pasta

With these top tips, you'll be serving up a mouthwatering masterpiece

Cook the pasta al dente: Overcooking the pasta will lead to a mushy texture in the final dish. Cook it just until it has a slight bite to maintain the perfect texture when tossed with the other ingredients.
Rinse the pasta with cold water: After cooking, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from becoming overly soft or sticky.
Brown the meat thoroughly: Take the time to properly brown the ground beef or turkey to develop rich, caramelized flavors that will permeate the entire dish.
Use thick-cut bacon: Thick-cut bacon holds its texture better than thin-cut when tossed with the creamy dressing, preventing it from becoming soggy.
Customize the heat level: Adjust the amount of jalapeños, hot sauce, and chili powder to suit your desired level of spiciness. Start with less and add more to taste.
Balance the dressing flavors: The dressing can be tweaked to your liking by adding more vinegar for tanginess, brown sugar for sweetness, or hot sauce for extra heat.

How To Store

Follow these steps to store leftover cowboy pasta so you can enjoy it again!

Storing: Let the pasta salad cool completely before storing. Place the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The pasta salad will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezing: This pasta salad is not ideal for freezing due to the creamy dressing and high moisture content of the vegetables. Freezing may cause the dressing to separate and the vegetables to become mushy upon thawing.

Reheating: This pasta salad can be enjoyed cold, at room temperature, or warm. If you prefer to serve it warm, reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until heated through.

Cowboy Pasta

Get hooked on this irresistibly delicious Cowboy Pasta Salad, brimming with savory ground beef, crispy bacon, sweet corn, hearty black beans, juicy tomatoes, and cheese, all drenched in zesty, creamy southwest barbecue sauce! It's an ideal dish for potlucks or preparing ahead for dinners!

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5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

12 oz 340g mini farfalle or other small pasta shapes like rigatoni or shells
12 oz 340g lean ground beef or turkey (see notes)
4 oz 113g can mild diced green chiles
¾ teaspoon chili powder
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
2-4 tablespoon diced canned/pickled jalapeño peppers from 4 oz can
Kernels from 1 ear of sweet corn
1 green bell pepper chopped
15 oz 425g can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint 475ml cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup 115g cubed sharp cheddar cheese
¼ small red onion chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 oz 170g thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped

Dressing

¼ cup 60ml ketchup
¼ cup 60g mayonnaise
¼ cup 60g sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup 60ml medium salsa
1 tablespoon 15g yellow mustard
1 tablespoon 15ml apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Add plenty of Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. Set aside.
Cook the pasta until just al dente according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with half of the prepared dressing to coat.
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef or turkey. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the diced green chiles, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt (if using). Set aside to cool slightly.
To the pasta, add the browned meat mixture, chopped bell pepper, drained black beans, corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, cubed cheddar, chopped red onion, and cilantro. Gently toss to combine.
If serving immediately, add the chopped bacon and the desired amount of remaining dressing and toss again. If not serving right away, hold off on adding bacon and remaining dressing until ready to serve. Adjust seasonings as needed, adding more hot sauce for spice, vinegar for tanginess, or brown sugar to balance acidity.
This cowboy pasta salad can be served slightly chilled, at room temperature, or even heated through. Enjoy leftovers heated in the microwave.

Notes

For a turkey variation, brown the ground turkey with a little olive oil and 2 teaspoon beef bouillon. Omit salt if using bouillon.
Use any small pasta shape you prefer like rigatoni or macaroni in place of farfalle.
Cook the pasta just until al dente to prevent it from becoming mushy when tossed with other ingredients.
Rinse cooked pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss with some dressing to prevent sticking.
Thick-cut bacon holds its texture better when tossed with the creamy dressing.
Let pasta cool completely before mixing with the creamy dressing to prevent separation.
Feel free to add other veggies like avocado or substitute your favorites.
Pickled jalapeños add a nice tang to balance the richness of the dressing.
Adjust dressing flavors to taste - make it tangier with more vinegar, sweeter with extra brown sugar, or spicier with more hot sauce.
The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
For the best bacon texture, hold off on adding bacon until just before serving if you know there will be leftovers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for the ground beef?

You can use ground turkey instead. Or make it vegetarian by omitting the meat altogether and adding extra beans or veggies.

Is this salad served hot or cold?

It's delicious either way! Serve it slightly chilled, at room temp, or even heated through for a warm pasta salad.