Cowboy Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12

This Cowboy Pasta Salad is loaded with ground beef, bacon, tomatoes, black beans, corn, onions, and peppers served over pasta with a creamy southwest barbecue sauce. It's the perfect potluck side dish or main entree for dinner. Serve warm or cold! This recipe makes a large batch to be enjoyed by all.

Ingredients

Directions

Step 1

Whisk together mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce (optional) in a medium bowl.

Step 2

Cook pasta just until al dente in salted water according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain. Add to a large serving bowl and toss with half of the dressing.

Step 3

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and season with taco seasoning and cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat and set aside.

Step 4

In the same skillet, cook bacon until extra crispy.

Step 5

Add ground beef, bacon, corn, black beans, tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper to pasta and toss to combine.

Step 6

Pour remaining dressing and mix until evenly coated.

Step 7

Fold in cheese and cilantro.

Step 8

Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cook's Notes

You can easily customize this recipe with your favorite toppings. Customize the dressing to your spice preference with less or more hot sauce. The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator three days ahead. Refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days.