Go Back

Italian Taco Pasta Salad

Italian taco pasta salad combines cooled rotini, browned seasoned ground beef, and crunchy romaine with diced tomatoes, olives, and shredded Mexican blend cheese. Tossed with a zesty Italian-taco dressing and finished with crushed tortilla chips for a cold, crisp bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad
  • 12 oz rotini pasta
  • 1 lb ground beef 85/15
  • 1 taco seasoning packet (1 oz)
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 2 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 0.5 cup black olives, sliced
  • 0.5 cup diced red onion
  • 1.5 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips for topping
Dressing
  • 0.75 cup Italian dressing
  • 2 tbsp taco sauce or salsa
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini until al dente, about 9–10 minutes, then drain.
  2. Rinse the drained rotini under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
Brown the beef
  1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart, and cook for 5–6 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat.
  2. Stir in taco seasoning and water, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until thickened. Let the beef cool to room temperature.
Make the dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, taco sauce, lime juice, and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.
Assemble
  1. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, cooled taco beef, romaine, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, and shredded cheese. Mix until evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Check that all components look lightly dressed.
Top and chill
  1. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over the top just before serving. Chill the salad for at least 20 minutes for best flavor, or serve immediately for extra crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: cooling the pasta and beef fully keeps the salad from getting watery and helps the dressing cling. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; add tortilla chips right before serving so they stay crunchy. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use 93% lean or turkey ground beef and reduce cheese by 1/4 cup.