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Mexican Taco Pasta Salad

Mexican taco pasta salad with taco-seasoned beef, melted cheddar, and crunchy taco toppings folded into a creamy ranch-salsa dressing. Built for Taco Tuesday with a bowl-loaded, colorful finish—crushed Doritos on top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pasta shells
  • 1 lb pasta shells
ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
corn kernels
  • 1 cup corn kernels
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
salsa
  • 0.25 cup salsa
Doritos
  • 2 cup Doritos, crushed
lettuce
  • 1 lettuce for serving
sour cream
  • 1 sour cream for serving
cilantro
  • 1 cilantro for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Cook the pasta shells according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Cook the taco beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the taco seasoning and cook according to the package directions until cooked through, stirring as needed.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Mix the ranch dressing with the salsa until smooth and evenly blended, using a consistent color throughout.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, ground beef, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, and red onion in a large bowl so the mix looks evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat until the pasta looks glossy and every bite is lightly covered.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so it firms up and flavors meld.
  2. Top with crushed Doritos, lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro right before serving for maximum crunch and fresh color.

Notes

For best texture, keep the Doritos and leafy toppings for the last step so they stay crisp. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended due to pasta and dairy dressing. For a lighter option, use light ranch dressing or a Greek-yogurt based ranch substitute to reduce fat while keeping the creamy coating.