This Cowboy Pasta Salad is loaded with flavor and tossed in a creamy tangy dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for potlucks, backyard BBQs, parties or summer gatherings.
You can never have too many pasta salad recipes. They’re always one of the first dishes to disappear at parties and there are so many delicious ways to make them. From light vinaigrette pasta salads to creamy, flavor-loaded versions like this one, each one is easy to customize and perfect for feeding large crowds.
My favorite pasta salads are the ones loaded with a little bit of everything and filling enough to almost be a meal on their own, like this cowboy pasta salad that does exactly that. Between the seasoned beef, crispy bacon, cheese, beans, corn and creamy smoky dressing, every bite is packed with flavor and texture.
Looking for more pasta salad recipes? Try my macaroni salad and pesto pasta salad.
Recipe At A Glance
- Skill Level: Easy
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Freezer Friendly: No
- Servings: 8
- Best For: Potlucks, BBQs, cookouts, summer parties, and family gathers
Cowboy Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta: I used rotini pasta, but bowtie, penne or shells also work great
- Bacon: Cooked until crispy and chopped
- Ground Beef: I used 80/20 for the best flavor.
- Olive Oil: Helps keep the pasta from sticking together after cooking
- Whole Kernel Corn: Drained
- Black Beans: Drained and rinsed well
- Grape Tomatoes: Halved
- Onion: White or red onion, diced
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese
- Condiments: Mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce
- Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and fresh cilantro
How to Make Cowboy Pasta Salad
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down. Toss with olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
Remove most of the bacon grease from the skillet and add the ground beef. Cook ground beef breaking it apart as it browns. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Drain any excess grease and allow the beef to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, bacon and seasoned beef. Add the corn, black beans, tomatoes, onion and shredded cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, spicy brown mustard and hot sauce until smooth and creamy.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Let the beef cool slightly before mixing so it doesn’t melt the cheese.
- Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it quickly.
- Make it ahead of time for even better flavor after chilling a few hours.
- If the pasta salad seems dry after refrigeration, stir in a little extra mayo or barbeque sauce before serving.
- Cook the bacon ahead of time to save on prep time.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Add diced jalapeños for extra heat.
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar for a spick kick.
- Stir in diced avocados right before serving.
- Make it smoky flavor with smoked paprika or chipotle barbeque sauce.
How to Store Leftover Cowboy Pasta Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving since the dressing may thicken as it chills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This pasta salad tastes even better after chilling for a few hours because the flavors have time to blend together.
Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits in the refrigerator. Stir in a little extra mayo or barbeque sauce before serving.
This pasta salad pairs perfectly with burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, ribs, pulled pork, streak or sandwiches.
Yes! Fresh corn when in season can be used instead of canned corn.
Recipe
Cowboy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- ½ lb. bacon, chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can of whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup onion, white or red, diced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. cilantro
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. hot sauce
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down. Toss with olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
- Remove most of the bacon grease from the skillet and add the ground beef. Cook ground beef breaking it apart as it browns.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Drain any excess grease and allow the beef to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, bacon and seasoned beef. Add the corn, black beans, tomatoes, onion and shredded cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, spicy brown mustard and hot sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Let the beef cool slightly before mixing so it doesn’t melt the cheese.
- Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it quickly.
- Make it ahead of time for even better flavor after chilling a few hours.
- If the pasta salad seems dry after refrigeration, stir in a little extra mayo or barbeque sauce before serving.
- Cook the bacon ahead of time to save on prep time.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Add diced jalapeños for extra heat.
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar for a spick kick.
- Stir in diced avocados right before serving.
- Make it smoky flavor with smoked paprika or chipotle barbeque sauce.
How to Store Leftover Cowboy Pasta Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving since the dressing may thicken as it chills.Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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