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Quick & Creamy Taco Pasta Salad with Doritos Crunch

A close-up of a serving of taco pasta salad featuring rotini pasta, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.
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This is a flavorful, easy cold pasta salad that combines seasoned ground beef, cheese, fresh vegetables, and a creamy Tex-Mex dressing, topped with a satisfying Doritos crunch. It is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or quick weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound rotini pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 bag (about 4 ounces) crushed Doritos chips

Instructions

  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool it down quickly. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Stir the taco seasoning mix and water into the cooked ground beef. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let the beef cool completely.
  4. While the beef cools, prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch dressing, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  5. In a very large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, the cooled taco-seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and red onion.
  6. Pour the creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
  7. Cover the bowl and chill the taco pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. This makes it a great potluck side dish.
  8. Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed Doritos chips over the top for the best crunch. Serve this crowd pleasing salad cold.

Notes

  • For meal prepping, store the crushed Doritos separately and add them right before serving to maintain the crunch.
  • You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef if you prefer a lighter option.
  • If you want a tangier dressing, add a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the dressing mixture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://purecookingjoy.com/taco-pasta-salad-recipe-quick-creamy/

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