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This taco pasta salad was my go-to cold pasta salad this summer! It’s a taco-rrific mash-up of two of my all-time fav foods, and it was an absolute hit at every poolside party I brought it to. The lime dressing is sooo good! It’s loaded with taco seasoning and brings all the flavors together. The combo of black beans, corn, and fresh veggies makes it so satisfying. Plus, it’s super easy to make ahead, so I could just grab it from the fridge and head out the door.
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I’m a member of the Pasta Salad Fan Club. Caesar, caprese, tahini… I’ll eat pasta salad any which way. I love that it can be eaten warm or cold and gets better with a little time in the fridge once the flavors meld. This taco pasta salad with corn and black beans might be one of my new favorites. It has so many textures, is packed with veggies, and is dressed with a genius (if I do say so myself) taco pasta salad dressing made with lime juice, honey, and taco seasoning.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American and Mexican
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Vegan
Key Flavor: Avocado, corn, pasta, and beans
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- It’s vegan: This taco pasta salad doesn’t have meat or dairy. I love to bring it to potlucks because everyone can eat it!
- Make-ahead: This taco pasta needs at least an hour in the fridge for the pasta to absorb the dressing. However, it can be made a few days ahead! You’ll just want to add the avocado right before serving since it’ll brown quickly.
- Customizable: This pasta salad is delicious as is (and has veggies, fiber, and protein!), but you can also add sliced, grilled chicken or crispy tofu to make it a meal.
Ingredients to Make Taco Pasta Salad
- Lime, garlic, taco seasoning, honey, and oil: These are your taco pasta salad dressing ingredients. I like to make a big batch of homemade taco seasoning and use that, but you can absolutely substitute store-bought spices.
- Noodles: Macaroni noodles are my go-to, but you can use any short or tubular shape. Cavatappi, penne, fusilli, or farfalle would all be great! Gluten-free pasta is fine, too.
- Black beans: Be sure to drain and rinse the beans well to remove the salty, canned liquid.
- Bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works.
- Tomatoes: I like to use small cherry or grape tomatoes and just halve them, but you can chop up a whole tomato instead.
- Corn: Fresh or frozen corn works! If using frozen, thaw it first.
- Red onion: This is milder than other types of onion. You could substitute shallots or scallions, though.
- Cilantro: I know some people can’t stand the taste of cilantro, but I love it. Its herbiness adds so much flavor to the taco pasta salad.
- Avocado: Creamy avocado balances all of the crunchy veggies in this recipe.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Add cheese. If you don’t need this salad to be vegan, you could stir in (or top it with!) crumbled feta or cotija cheese.
- Use a different dressing. You could substitute avocado dressing or cilantro yogurt sauce.
- Try other veggies. Zucchini, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cucumber…try any combo of veggies until you land on your favorite.
- Make it creamy. Stirring in a bit of sour cream or Greek yogurt will make this taco pasta salad creamy and tangier!
How to Make Taco Pasta Salad
I think the hardest part about this taco pasta salad is not eating it right away.
Tips for Making the Best Make-Ahead Taco Pasta Salad
- Don’t rush adding the oil. When making the taco pasta salad dressing, it’s important to slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly. This will help the dressing become emulsified and creamy. If you don’t do this, you could end up with a broken dressing with the oil separated from the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the pasta to al dente. This means “to the tooth” and will make sure the pasta doesn’t become mushy in the fridge once chilled. I recommend taste-testing the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions say it’ll be done! Al dente pasta should be toothsome, but still tender.
- Add the pasta warm to the dressing. This will allow the noodles to easily soak up the dressing.
- Don’t skip chilling the pasta salad. An hour in the fridge will allow the noodles and veggies to fully soak up the dressing. Skipping the chilling just shortchanges the flavor!
What to Serve With Meatless Cold Taco Pasta Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
This taco pasta will last 3 to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It doesn’t need to be reheated!
Sadly, there’s not much to do about overcooked, mushy pasta. I would recook new pasta and recommend setting a timer to taste the pasta sooner!
Avocado oxidizes (browns!) when exposed to air, so you’ll want to add it to the taco pasta salad right before serving. If it does brown, that doesn’t mean the avocado’s gone bad, though! It just not as appetizing to look at.
I brought this Taco Pasta Salad to a potluck and 3 friends asked me for the recipe. It makes sense: It’s creamy, crunchy, and lime-y and the dressing is bright, sweet, and savory. It also makes for a delicious make-ahead lunch or dinner. I give myself a little “thank you” whenever I have it in my fridge.
More Pasta Salad Recipes:
- Spinach Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Tahini Pasta Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad
- Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
If you try this feel good Taco Pasta Salad recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Taco Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 limes zest and juice
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
For the salad:
- 8 ounces macaroni noodles or pasta of choice
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cooked corn
- ½ small red onion minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado diced
Instructions
- To make the dressing, in a large serving bowl whisk lime zest and juice, garlic, taco seasoning, honey, salt, and pepper together until combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking vigorously until emulsified. Set aside in the fridge.
- To make the salad, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, then add to the large serving bowl with the dressing. Toss with the warm pasta so it can absorb the flavors.
- Add the black beans, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, and cilantro, and toss to coat. Chill for 1 hour for flavors to develop. When ready to serve, add diced avocado on top so the color is preserved.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
