Cowboy Pasta Salad

Cowboy Pasta Salad is bursting with Tex-Mex flavors and packed with hearty ingredients. It features ground beef, crispy bacon, sweet corn, and black beans, all mixed with pasta and seasoned to perfection. A tangy barbecue sauce ties everything together, creating a delectable and satisfying pasta salad.

Ingredients:

How to Make Cowboy Pasta Salad?

1. Prepare Ground Beef: Brown ground beef is a large skillet. Drain off any excess grease and allow to cool to room temperature.

   

2. Prepare Bacon: Cook the bacon in a separate pan. Cook the bacon until crisp and then crumble.

   

3. Combine Dressing Ingredients: In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

   


4. Stir Pasta Ingredients: In a large bowl gently stir together all the pasta salad ingredients except for the green onions. This includes the corn, black beans and tomatoes.

   

5. Combine Pasta and Dressing: Pour the dressing mixture over the pasta salad. Gently toss to coat the ingredients with the dressing.
6. Serve and Enjoy: Serve topped with the sliced green onions or chill until ready to serve. You can even squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.

Variations Ideas:

Ground Beef: You can make this pasta salad recipe with ground turkey if you prefer. You can even do half ground turkey and half ground beef.
Pasta: Feel free to change the pasta to what you prefer. Any small size pasta such as macaroni, penne, or rigatoni are great options.
Vegetables: You can add in different types of vegetables if you prefer. If you don’t like tomatoes, you can easily leave them out. Canned Jalapenos are always a great option and add so much flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes: If you want an extra hint of spice, add in red pepper flakes.

Dressing for Cowboy Pasta Salad:

The dressing for this pasta salad is just as delicious as the pasta. It’s rich, tangy, and perfectly spiced.

1. Mayonnaise
2. Barbecue Sauce
3. Worcestershire Sauce
4. Spicy Brown Mustard
5. Hot Sauce
6. Cumin
7. Salt and Pepper to taste

Recipe Tips:

1. Cooking Pasta: For a head start, cook your pasta the night before. Be careful not to overcook it; aim for al dente as per the package instructions. Once cooked, rinse and drain the pasta to halt the cooking process.
2. Bacon: For this recipe, opt for thick-cut bacon. Its robust texture holds up well when combined with the creamy dressing and other ingredients, adding a satisfying, meaty bite to the dish.
3. Cool Pasta: Before mixing in the other ingredients and the dressing, you want to make sure your pasta has cooled.
4. Prepare Dressing: If you enjoy prepping in advance, prepare the salad dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge. The flavors meld beautifully after a few hours, making the dressing even tastier.
5. Combine Ingredients: Combine the pasta ingredients and the dressing in a large mixing bowl until everything is covered.

Cowboy Pasta Salad Shelf Life:

1. Freshness Window: The salad will typically last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
2. Best Quality: For the best taste and texture, consume within the first 2 days.

Tips for Maintaining Freshness:

1. Separate Ingredients: If possible, store the dressing separately and mix it with the pasta salad just before serving. This can help prevent the pasta from becoming soggy.
2. Check Ingredients: Be mindful of ingredients like fresh vegetables or dairy, which may spoil more quickly.