Why I love this cowboy pasta salad recipe
This cowboy pasta salad is the kind of hearty, crowd-pleasing dish that disappears fast at any potluck or BBQ.
It’s loaded with all the good stuff (including savory ground beef, crispy bacon, sweet corn, black beans, and juicy tomatoes), tossed with tender pasta and coated in a creamy dressing that pulls everything together
Since it has a lot more going on than a typical pasta salad, it makes a nice change from the usual sides. (And is hearty enough you can eat it as a meal if you want to).
Plus that creamy dressing includes a little Sriracha which adds just enough kick to keep things interesting without being overpowering.
I also love that you can make pasta salad ahead of time, so you’re not trying to pull everything together at the last minute.
As an added bonus, once it’s had a chance to chill, the flavors blend together so it tastes even better.
Looking for more pasta salads? You'll love Creamy Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad.
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 16 servings):
- Pasta – 16 ounces rotini pasta noodles. Rotini works well because the twists hold onto the dressing.
- Canned goods – 15.25-ounce can black beans, 15-ounce can corn
- Meat – 1 pound ground beef, 6 slices bacon
- Fresh produce – 1 pint grape tomatoes, 2-3 green onions (plus an extra one for garnish if you want).
- Dairy – 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Condiments – ¾ cup mayonnaise, 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce, 1½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Substitutions & Additions
- You can swap out the Rotini for another small pasta if that’s what you have.
- If you don’t want too much spice, you can reduce the amount of sriracha (or eliminate it altogether).
- As with most pasta salads, the exact amounts and ingredients are flexible. So feel free to add extra “stuff” (like red peppers), or make changes to what is listed.
How to make cowboy pasta salad
1 | Prep work
Drain the liquid from the can of beans and rinse them under cold water.
Drain the liquid from the can of corn.
Cut the grape tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on the size.
Chop the green onions.
Chop the bacon into ½” pieces.
2 | Cook the meat
Start by cooking your chopped bacon in a large pan over medium heat until it is your desired level of crispiness.
Then carefully pour out the fat and set the bacon aside on a paper towel.
To avoid messy splatters, use a splatter screen if you have one.
In the same pan, cook your ground beef.
Use a large spoon to chop the meat into small crumbles while it cooks.
When it is no longer pink inside, remove it from the heat and drain off the excess fat.
3 | Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta noodles according to the package instructions for “al dente”. It should be a minute or two less than the standard cooking time.
Pour the noodles into a colander in your sink and run cold water over them until they are completely cool to the touch.
Rinsing the pasta stops it from cooking further, which keeps it from getting too mushy in the salad.
Transfer your cooled noodles into a large bowl and leave them there while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
Pick a bowl that gives you plenty of space to toss everything together without it spilling over.
4 | Make the dressing
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sriracha until the mixture is smooth and combined.
Sriracha is spicy, so start with a little less if you prefer a milder flavor.
5 | Make the salad
Pour your creamy sauce mixture over the prepared pasta and gently stir everything together until every noodle is nicely coated.
Don’t stir too quickly or the noodles may break apart.
Add your cooked bacon, ground beef, and all other remaining ingredients into the large bowl and mix it to spread everything out.
Use a large spoon to lift from the bottom of the bowl to mix everything evenly.
6 | Chill for 1 hour and serve
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour to let the flavors blend.
Chilling the salad allows the flavors to soak into the noodles, making it taste even better after an hour.
Right before you are ready to serve, sprinkle some extra diced green onions over the top for a fresh finish.
Serving suggestions
For potlucks and BBQs (where people will be helping themselves), I often serve this in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
It makes it easier for people to take out a scoop without mangling all of the noodles underneath.
How to make ahead
This cowboy pasta salad can be made up to a day in advance. (It will actually keep longer than that but the veggies start to lose their freshness).
To make sure it has the best flavor, only pour half the dressing onto the pasta when you are making the salad. Keep the other half in the refrigerator and add it just before serving.
Cowboy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
- 6 slices bacon chopped into ½" pieces
- 1 pound ground beef
- 15.25 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
- 2-3 green onions diced (plus more for garnish)
For the dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board
- knife
- Large pot
- colander
- Large skillet
- spatula or spoon
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- large spoon
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions.16 ounces rotini pasta
- Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat in a large skillet. Drain the grease and set the bacon aside.6 slices bacon
- Brown the ground beef in the skillet, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.1 pound ground beef
- Pour the cooked noodles into a colander and run cold water over them to cool.
- Combine the pasta and dressing (recipe below) in a large bowl until all of the pasta has been coated.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine.15.25 ounce can black beans, 15 ounce can corn, 1 pint grape tomatoes, 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese, 2-3 green onions
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Top with more diced green onions to serve.
For the dressing:
- Combine the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sriracha sauce in a medium bowl.¾ cup mayonnaise, 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce, 1½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Notes
- You can replace the Rotini with any small, bite-sized pasta.
- If you don’t like too much spice, reduce the amount of sriracha to ¼ teaspoon (or eliminate it altogether).
- If you are making the salad more than an hour before serving, add half the dressing to the pasta when you are making it. Store the other half in the refrigerator. Mix it in just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Have comments or questions about our cowboy pasta salad recipe? Tell us in the section below.