Best Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad Recipe
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Cowboy Pasta Salad is loaded with all the best flavors of summer! Prep your ingredients while the pasta cooks, then toss everything with a creamy homemade dressing. It’s enough to feed the family for dinner or take as a potluck side. And this recipe is easy to customize too!
You’re going to love this flavorful pasta salad! Not only is it a hearty pasta salad recipe, but it’s loaded with juicy ground beef, bacon bits, and perfectly cooked pasta in each and every bite.
It has the perfect amount of kick and can easily be a main course or a great side dish.
Great recipes like this make for an easy dinner for the whole family to enjoy. I also make this all the time for summer parties – and people tell me that it’s one of the best pasta salad recipes that they’ve had!
Table of Contents
Cowboy Pasta Salad
This loaded cowboy pasta salad is the newest addition to my long list of pasta salad recipes, and it may be the heartiest one yet!
Savory ground beef, black beans, and bacon plus sweet corn and cherry tomatoes are balanced with diced green chiles and jalapenos for some heat.
Throw it all in a bowl with tender pasta, cheddar cheese, and a tangy dressing for a simple meal you’ll crave again and again!
I love easy ground beef recipes, especially when I’ve been testing recipes for days and simply can’t come up with any more ideas.
And when it comes to the summer months, nothing beats a pasta salad that you can have ready and waiting in the fridge!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pasta – The ridges of rotini noodles grab onto all that dressing, but any short-cut pasta will do the job — try penne, fusilli, rigatoni, and cavatappi.
Want to really put the cowboy in loaded cowboy pasta salad? Use rotelle pasta, which looks like wagon wheels! - Ground Beef – Opt for a lean blend so there’s less grease to drain off once browned.
You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken if preferred, though you may want to use extra seasoning. - Beans – I like the flavor and texture of black beans in this cowboy pasta salad recipe. Good alternatives are red kidney beans or pinto beans.
- Veggies – You’ll need cherry tomatoes, red onion, and corn. Feel free to use fresh kernels sliced off the cob, canned kernels (drained), or frozen corn that’s been thawed.
If needed, you can substitute grape tomatoes and either shallots or green onion. - Peppers – We’re using both diced green chiles from a can and fresh jalapeno for crunch.
They don’t really make the cowboy pasta salad spicy, but you can certainly leave them out if you’d like.
I’d at least replace the jalapeno with red or green bell pepper — just be sure to dice it really small. - Dressing – Mix together your favorite BBQ sauce with mayo, sour cream, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
For a lighter version, you can use low-fat mayonnaise and swap the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
How to Make Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta to al dente.
Follow the package instructions and be sure to salt the water for flavor. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
The noodles will continue to soften as they soak up some of the dressing, so it’s best to undercook them slightly.
If they’re already soft when combined with the other ingredients, your pasta salad will end up mushy.
- Prep the rest of the ingredients while the pasta cooks.
Start the bacon when you put the pot of water on to boil so it has time to cook and cool.
Otherwise, get the ground beef browning while you chop, drain, and shred the rest.
Save some time when slicing the tomatoes by placing them between two lids and running a serrated knife through the middle.
You can also prep just about everything ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.
Then, toss it all together with the dressing and pop it back in the fridge an hour before you plan on serving.
- Make the dressing ahead of time if possible.
Whisk it all together and store covered in the refrigerator up to a day or two in advance. This allows the flavors to marry and meld in the best way.
Plus, it’s one less thing to do the day of!
- Chill pasta salad with ground beef before serving.
It’ll be tempting to dig right in, but this dish tastes even better when it’s had some time to sit — and when everything is the same temperature.
Chill for at least an hour, but longer is even better!
Prep Ahead
- Cook and crumble bacon
- Brown ground beef
- Drain and rinse beans (and corn if canned)
- Halve cherry tomatoes
- Chop onion, jalapeno, and cilantro
- Shred cheese
- Mix dressing
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Pot and Strainer for the pasta
- Skillet – This is my go-to pan that I’ve had for over a decade! It heats evenly and cleans up beautifully with a little baking soda so it still looks brand new.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Cheese Grater – Fresh cheese makes this recipe even better! Skip the bagged shreds and buy a block to grate yourself.
- Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
Serving Suggestions
Feel free to get creative and add in extra ingredients — or swap out any you don’t like!
Olives, bell peppers, cucumber, and avocado would all be tasty in this cowboy pasta salad recipe.
The cheddar can be swapped for Pepper Jack if you want some extra heat, and fresh herbs such as dill, basil, and oregano would be welcome.
Pasta salad with ground beef is hearty enough for a meal, but it makes a great potluck or cookout side dish too.
And sure, it already has beans and corn, but I’ll never turn down some fresh corn on the cob and a helping of baked beans in the summertime!
Storing Leftover Pasta Salad with Ground Beef
Cowboy pasta salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, either covered or in an airtight container. Be sure to give it a good stir before serving.
Since the pasta will absorb the dressing the longer it sits, the texture tends to dry out over time.
I like to make extra dressing to freshen up leftovers with — simply store it in a jar in the fridge!
Cowboy Pasta Salad Recipe FAQ
Rinse with water! That stickiness is from the natural starch in the noodles that’s drawn out when boiled.
Since we’re already rinsing in cold water to stop the pasta from cooking, it’ll rinse away the starch at the same time. Easy peasy!
While you’re certainly welcome to, I think it tastes better chilled — especially to give the flavors time to meld.
It’s safe at room temperature for an hour or two, but don’t leave it out longer than that. Because of the creamy dressing, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator when not being eaten.
No, but it’s easy to make one! Swap the ground beef and bacon with sautéed mushrooms and add extra veggies.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Best Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked
- 1/2 pound 88% lean ground beef
- 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved , (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded , (about ½ cup)
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled , (about ½ cup)
Dressing
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- COOK PASTA: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- COOK BEEF: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 pound 88% lean ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease and set aside to cool slightly.
- COMBINE SALAD: In a large bowl add the cooked pasta, 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles, 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved , 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed, 1/2 cup corn kernels, 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped, 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, and cooked ground beef. Stir until evenly combined.
- MAKE DRESSING: In a separate bowl whisk together 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper until smooth.
- TOSS SALAD: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- ADD CHEESE AND BACON: Stir in 2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded and 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled .
- CHILL: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
- SERVE: Toss lightly before serving and garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
Donna’s Notes
Grab two lids of the same size — plastic storage lids work great. Place one lid with the lip facing up and fill it with your cherry or grape tomatoes. Set the second lid on top with the lip facing down. Press gently to hold everything in place (not too hard — you don’t want tomato juice everywhere). The rims keep them from rolling around. Then slide a serrated knife right through the middle. Watch your fingers. And just like that… perfectly halved tomatoes in seconds.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2024, updated and republished May 2025
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
This cowboy pasta salad is amazing! It’s so easy to make and tastes incredible.
Hi Emily!
So glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn