Taco Pasta Salad (Easy and Creamy!)

Make it a full meal!

This vegetarian friendly side dish is filling enough to be a meal on its own, but I also love adding in seasoned ground beef or ground chorizo for a protein packed pasta salad. Simply cook the meat with your favorite taco seasoning and stir it into the pasta salad!

Close-up overhead shot of creamy taco pasta salad in a large wooden bowl with wooden serving spoons. The salad includes shell pasta, cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, cheese, and is topped with green onions, cilantro, and a lime wedge.

blogger tawnie graham in a kitchen with an instant pot and several dishes of food

Table Talk with Tawnie

I was craving all the classic taco flavors, but also wanted pasta, so this taco pasta salad baby was born! It’s a no brainer why pasta salads are the MVP side dish of summer. They’re full of fresh, seasonal ingredients, hold up well, are make-ahead friendly, cool and customizable, and this one in particular disappears so fast. Serve it alongside burgers, bbq chicken, grilled chicken or steak, or sliders. (Maybe even with some homemade margaritas or palomas… 😉)

new! new! new!

Summer Savory Series

On the hunt for more fresh, flavorful recipes perfect for warm weather days? Whether you’re looking to beat the heat with no-cook meals, whip up crowd-pleasing pasta salads for your next BBQ, or dig into light and refreshing dishes, this series has you covered. Let’s keep the oven off and the vibes high!

Side view of a hand holding a nacho chip topped with creamy taco pasta salad from a bowl garnished with avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges. The background includes another bowl of salad and a small bowl of salt.

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Flat lay of labeled ingredients for taco pasta salad arranged on a pink tile surface. Ingredients include avocado, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black beans, jalapeño, diced bell pepper, salsa, corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pasta shells, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro.

For The Creamy Dressing:

Mayonnaise: Gives the dressing its creamy texture and rich taste. I opt to use regular mayo, but feel free to sub light mayo if you prefer.
Greek yogurt or sour cream: Either option will add even more creamy texture to the dressing and a bit of tangy taste. Greek yogurt adds a tad more protein, if that’s of interest to you!
Salsa or Catalina dressing: You can use your favorite salsa at your preferred spice level or opt for the sweet and savory zest of Catalina dressing to add some flavor to your creamy dressing. Or if you’re feeling adventures – try a mixture of both!
Taco seasoning: Feel free to make a homemade mixture of taco seasoning, or grab your favorite package of premade taco seasoning to give the dressing it’s Tex-Mex flair.
Hot sauce: This one is totally optional! If you do decide to add some, make sure to start with less than you think you need, then taste a small amount of the dressing and adjust as needed. Remember that when it comes to spice, you can always add more, but you can’t subtract it! 🤭

For The Salad:

Pasta: I recommend using a small pasta shape like rotini or small shells.
Yellow corn: I use canned corn and make sure to drain and rinse it before adding to the pasta salad. Of course, fresh corn would be delicious as well! And frozen corn would work too, I would just make sure you’re able to thaw it to room temperature to avoid any excess liquid in the salad from the ice.
Black beans: Rinse and drain your black beans as well. You could sub pinto or kidney beans if you want, or use a mixture of any of those. Totally up to you!
Cherry tomatoes: These bring brightness and a pop of color to the salad, plus fresh, juicy taste. Grape tomatoes work too! Either way, just make sure to chop them in half.
Shredded cheddar cheese: What’s a taco salad without cheese? Shredded cheddar adds creamy, savory flavor and helps tie the taco salad theme together.
Red onion: Finely dice the red onion so that every bite of the pasta salad has the tangy, crunchy flavor in it.
Orange bell pepper: I also like dicing the bell pepper small for better distribution throughout the salad. Bell pepper adds sweetness, crunch, and vibrant color. And really, you can use any color you like, I just love the overall mixture of colors in the salad when I use orange 🧡
Jalapeño: Want to kick up the heat a bit in your Creamy Taco Pasta Salad? Finely dice a jalapeño and toss it in. Remove the seeds to reduce the spice level as needed.

For Serving:

Avocado: I like slicing or dicing the avocado and adding it right before serving. If I know we likely won’t eat the full salad in one serving, I like to keep the avocado on the side and add a small amount to each person’s plate, so that it doesn’t get totally mushy in the leftovers.
Chips: You can use whatever strikes your fancy! Some of my faves are Fritos, Nacho Cheese Doritos, Tortilla chips, or tortilla strips (like you top soups and salads with).
Green onions: I like dicing the green parts of the green onions and topping the pasta salad with them. They add a pop of color and a subtle crunch and just taste so fresh and delicious to me.
Lime wedges: I’m a huge fan of lime flavor with my Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. A squeeze of lime amplifies the savory taco seasoning, corn, beans, and cheese, and gives the pasta salad a vibrant, zesty kick.
Cilantro: As long as it doesn’t taste like soap to you, cilantro adds a fresh, herby flavor that compliments the dressing so well. I feel like it really adds that little extra *zing* that brings the authentic taco flavor to the Creamy Taco Pasta Salad.

Jump to Recipe

Close-up of a forkful of creamy taco pasta salad being lifted from a bowl. The fork holds shell pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, green onions, and bits of cilantro, with avocado and chips visible in the background.

Step-by-Step Directions

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Side-by-side images showing ingredients for the dressing in a pink bowl on the left—including mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, salsa, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper—and the fully mixed creamy dressing on the right with a pink-handled spoon resting inside the bowl.

Mix the dressing.

Side-by-side images showing pasta being boiled in a white pot on the left, and fully cooked shell pasta drained and placed in a large wooden bowl on the right, surrounded by small bowls of taco pasta salad ingredients.

Cook the pasta.

Side-by-side overhead images showing the layering of salad ingredients in a wooden bowl. Left image includes pasta, corn, black beans, and halved cherry tomatoes. Right image adds shredded cheese, diced red onion, orange bell pepper, and jalapeño to complete the colorful mix.

Add salad ingredients to large bowl.

A two-step visual showing the creamy taco pasta salad being assembled. On the left, creamy taco dressing is poured over a colorful mix of salad ingredients including shredded cheddar, corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, red onion, diced orange bell pepper, and jalapeño. On the right, the ingredients are fully mixed together in a large wooden bowl, with pasta shells coated evenly in the creamy dressing, showing pops of color from the vegetables and beans.

Add dressing. Mix well. Chill salad.

Two styled serving images of creamy taco pasta salad. On the left, a large wooden bowl of the finished salad is garnished with sliced avocado, lime wedges, chopped green onion, and fresh cilantro, with serving spoons resting inside. On the right, a close-up of an individual serving bowl filled with the creamy pasta salad and topped with avocado slices, cilantro, lime, and a handful of crunchy Fritos or Doritos on the side for texture.

Add garnishes and toppings. Enjoy!

Jump to Video

Expert Tips

Make the dressing in advance: Mix the dressing up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge. This gives the spices time to bloom and the flavors to meld beautifully.
Dry your canned ingredients well: After rinsing the black beans and corn, pat them dry with a paper towel. Extra moisture can water down the dressing and make the salad soggy over time.
Dice veggies uniformly: Chop your onions, bell pepper, and jalapeño into small, even pieces so you get a little of everything in each bite and the salad looks polished and restaurant-worthy.
Don’t skip the chilling time: Chill the fully mixed salad for at least 60 minutes before serving if you can. This helps the flavors blend and gives the Creamy Taco Pasta Salad a refreshing, cool texture.
Taste and adjust seasonings before serving: Once everything is mixed, taste the salad again and adjust with more salt, pepper, taco seasoning, or lime juice as needed. Chilling can mellow out flavors, so give it a taste before serving.
Add crunch with fresh veggies or shredded lettuce: If you’re serving leftovers or want to revive a chilled salad, toss in a handful of shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce just before serving for added texture and crunch.

Close-up of creamy taco pasta salad served in a pink bowl, topped with avocado, cilantro, green onions, and a lime wedge. A portion of Doritos chips sits on the side, and a fork rests in the bowl.

Variations / Substitutions

Add a protein: Seasoned ground beef, ground turkey, chorizo, chicken, or even shrimp would be delicious in this pasta salad! Just season and cook the protein separately, and allow it to cool before mixing it into the salad.
Use different beans: Feel free to use pinto or kidney beans in place of black beans, or try a combo of a few different kinds of beans. Whatever sounds good to you!
Other cheese options: Swap Cheddar for Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or Colby. For a spicier bite, use shredded Pepper Jack or Chipotle Cheddar.
Dairy free: Swap in vegan mayo and dairy-free yogurt or sour cream in the dressing, and your favorite plant-based shredded cheese.
Extra add-ins: You can add anything your heart desires to this Creamy Taco Pasta Salad. Some ideas: diced cucumber, shredded lettuce, sliced radishes, diced zucchini, olives, pickled red onions. (Pssst! If you try any of these or come up with some of your own, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below!)

Top-down view of taco pasta salad being mixed with wooden utensils in a large wooden bowl. The creamy salad includes shell pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, shredded cheese, diced peppers, and onions, coated in a taco-seasoned dressing.

Storage + Make-Ahead Tips

Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad for a few reasons: the dairy-based dressing can get thin and watery upon defrosting, cooked pasta can become soft, and the fresh veggies usually turn mushy and less flavorful. (But don’t worry, you’ll want to eat this all up, so you won’t have leftovers to freeze ☺️)
Make ahead: If you want to make this pasta salad in advance of when you plan to serve it, I like to save some of the dressing on the side (instead of mixing it all in before adding the toppings). Then, right before serving, I toss in the last of the dressing to revive the salad a bit!

FAQs

Can I make this Creamy Taco Pasta Salad ahead of time?

Yes! It’s a great make-ahead dish. You can prep the salad and dressing in separate bowls 1–2 days in advance. For best texture, stir in the dressing just before serving and save toppings (like avocado and chips) to add after mixing in the dressing before serving.

How can I make this Creamy Taco Pasta Salad gluten-free?

This one is pretty easy to turn gluten-free! Just grab your favorite gluten-free pasta! You’ll want ones that can hold up decently well when tossed with the other ingredients and dressing. (Also make sure that any chips you use for topping are corn-based and gluten-free.)

Can I make this Creamy Taco Pasta Salad dairy-free?

Use vegan mayo and dairy-free yogurt or sour cream in the dressing. In the salad, use your favorite plant-based shredded cheese, or skip the shredded cheese altogether. The salad will still be creamy and flavorful without it!

Is this a spicy Taco Pasta Salad?

It doesn’t have to be! The spice level depends on the ingredients you use. The base salad is mild, but if you add jalapeños, hot sauce, or spicy salsa, it can definitely bring the heat! I love how easily adjustable it is when it comes to spice.

How can I make a homemade taco seasoning for the dressing?

Mix: 1 tsp chili powder + ½ tsp cumin + ½ tsp smoked paprika + ¼ tsp garlic powder + ¼ tsp onion powder + a pinch of salt and pepper. Adjust to taste!

Can I serve this Creamy Taco Pasta Salad warm?

Personally, I think it’s best served chilled or at room temperature, but you could lightly warm the pasta and mix-ins before adding the dressing if you prefer a slightly warm salad.

Top-down view of a bowl of taco pasta salad topped with avocado slices, green onions, and cilantro. Fritos are arranged on the side of the bowl, and lime wedges and extra dressing are visible nearby on a pink tile surface.

shop this post

Wooden Serving Bowl & Utensils

Buy Now →

Vegetable Chopper

Buy Now →

Make it a full meal!

Table Talk with Tawnie

Summer Savory Series