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I throw together this cowboy pasta salad when I want something easy but loaded with flavor, beef, bacon, beans, and a dressing that brings it all together. It’s always a hit. Yeehaw!
Saddle Up! Reasons This One’s a Showstopper
- Balanced flavor that works: The mixture of pasta, seasoned beef, crispy bacon, veggies, and cheese, all mixed with a creamy BBQ dressing, is the perfect balance of hearty, crunchy, and satisfying!
- Holds up for meal prep: Stays creamy and delicious even after a day in the fridge, which makes it ideal for potlucks or weekday lunches.
- Crowd-tested and reliable: I took the time to get the ingredients, especially the dressing, just right, so you know it’s going to turn out perfect every time!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef: Substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or ground sausage if you prefer.
- Bacon: My favorite tip is to use precooked bacon! Just heat it in the microwave and boom, the bacon is done.
- Make it your own: If you want, you can switch up the meat, veggies, beans, or cheese based on what’s in your fridge.
- Add More Kick: Dice up more jalapeños or add a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper or hot sauce in your dressing!
How to Make Cowboy Pasta Salad
I love making pasta salads because they’re quick to throw together and satisfying. You probably already have everything you need in your fridge and pantry. The beauty of this recipe is that you can switch things up to use what you have!
- Boil the Pasta: Cook the bowtie pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Beef: In a large skillet, cook and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, about 7-10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cooked ground beef, cooked and crumbled bacon, halved grape tomatoes, corn, black beans, cubed cheddar cheese, red bell pepper, green onion, and jalapeno.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and ground cumin.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients and then toss to combine.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve cowboy pasta salad immediately! If you’re not serving immediately, wait to add the dressing until right before serving.
How to Store Cowboy Pasta Salad
- In the Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1–2 days.
- Reviving: The pasta will soak up some of the dressing as it chills. Make a little extra dressing to stir in before serving.
- Make Ahead: You can prep this pasta salad a day ahead, just wait to add the dressing until serving, or toss in half and add the rest later to keep it fresh.
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Cowboy Bacon Pasta Salad
Hearty and packed with protein, this bacon pasta salad combines savory beef, crisp veggies, and a creamy kick for a simple dinner or BBQ side.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 (12-ounce) box bowtie pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces cubed cheddar cheese
- 1 large diced red bell pepper
- 1 bunch chopped green onion
- 1 diced jalapeno
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Dressing
- 1¼ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup bbq sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Cook 1 (12-ounce) box bowtie pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook and brown 1 pound lean ground beef over medium-high heat, about 7-10 minutes. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cooked ground beef, 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, 1 cup halved grape tomatoes, 1 (14.5-ounce) can corn, 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, 8 ounces cubed cheddar cheese, 1 large diced red bell pepper, 1 bunch chopped green oniononion, and 1 diced jalapeno.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups mayonnaise, ½ cup bbq sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients and toss to combine.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately! If you're not serving immediately, wait to add the dressing until right before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, so add a splash of extra dressing to revive it.
Nutrition
Calories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 24gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 860mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1298IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 228mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
