This lightened up vegetarian taco pasta salad is made with beans instead of beef and packs in tons of superfoods from avocado, tomatoes, and a fresh cilantro dressing.
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This vegetarian taco pasta salad is packed with good nutrition!
Classic taco pasta salad recipes call for ground beef, heavy bottled dressings, chips, sour cream, and lots and lots of cheese. While they taste delicious, they come with a lot of saturated fat and lack in vegetables and fiber.
This lightened up vegetarian version packs in superfoods and tons of Mexican flavor with a much healthier spin.
Good nutrition comes from beans, corn, peppers, and cherry tomatoes, plus cilantro and avocado. Talk about a variety of antioxidants! We all know the benefits of beans: high in fiber, with a protein and antioxidant boost, and great for heart health.
The creamy dressing is made with yogurt, fresh lime juice, garlic, and lots of fresh cilantro. It’s great on everything!
This dish makes an excellent side dish at a BBQ or summer party. It’s great to make ahead and serve alongside burgers or other potluck favorites. Just be sure to wait to add garnishes until you’re ready to serve.
You can also make this for a week of delicious lunches. With protein from beans, pasta, and Greek yogurt, plenty of filling fiber, and some fat from the avocado, it’s filling and satisfying. Toss in some leftover chicken for extra protein.
Taco Pasta Salad Recipe
I pulled in many of my favorite Mexican ingredients, from cilantro to lime to avocado, but feel free to mix and match any you love. Want more spice? Add jalapeños! Love salsa or scallions – top the finished dish with those or stir them in with the dressing. Add a dollop of real sour cream for a little extra richness. I finished my dish with some lime tortilla chips – the bit of crunch hits the spot!
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry fusilli (any short / spiral pasta will work)
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can mixed beans (I used a mix of pinto, black, and kidney. You can use all black beans if you like.)
- 1 green pepper (any color of bell pepper works)
- 1 corn on the cob (or half a cup of frozen corn, thawed)
- 1 glove of garlic
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: tortilla chips
For the sauce
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 limes
Instructions
Prep ingredients
Wash and dry fresh produce. Chop pepper and tomatoes. Pour beans into a colander, drain and rinse with cold water. Peel garlic and mince in a garlic press. Chop cilantro. Juice the limes. Cut corn off the cob.
Cook pasta
Cook pasta according to package, drain, and return to pot.
Sauté beans and veggies
Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan and add minced garlic. Cook until browned. Add beans, green pepper, corn, and taco seasoning. Stir to mix and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until peppers are soft.
Mix everything together and allow to cool
Pour bean mixture into the pasta pot, stir and mix. Allow to slightly cool.
Make the dressing
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Add yogurt through lime juice to a food processor and run until well combined. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Mix dressing and tomatoes in with pasta mixture.
Pour dressing and tomatoes into pot or a large bowl and mix to combine.
Garnish with cilantro, avocado, and crushed chips, if having
Garnish with cilantro and diced avocado. And optional crushed lime tortilla chips!
Tips For How To Make Taco Pasta Salad
Blending dressing
You can use a high-speed blender or a food processor. You can leave some bits of cilantro too. I prefer to put my garlic through a garlic press before adding in the off chance that the blender doesn’t totally blend it. No one wants a chunk of garlic in their mouth!
Making ahead
Because fresh cilantro, avocado and tortilla chips won’t last, save these as garnishes to add when you’re ready to serve. Lime juice will extend the life of avocado if you’d like to add and mix in before a potluck.
Freshen with lime juice
If you’re making this a day in advance, add some extra fresh lime juice with the garnishes to moisten the pasta and freshen it up.
Ingredient Variations
- Add in some sliced black olives if you love ’em!
- Add in some sliced scallions or green onion
- Crush Red Hot Blues on top – the best spicy chips ever!
- Drizzle with hot sauce
- Stir in salsa – stir salsa in with the dressing
- Add pickled jalapeños – chop them or leave them whole.
- Use fresh jalapeños – chop them raw and mix with the green peppers.
- Mix in cheddar cheese – grate it yourself for maximum flavor and sprinkle in!
Taco Pasta Salad
This lightened up vegetarian taco pasta salad is made with beans instead of beef and packs in tons of superfoods from avocado and tomatoes to a fresh cilantro dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry fusilli or other spiral pasta
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1 can mixed beans (pinto, black, kidney) drained
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 corn on the cob kernels cut off
- 1 glove of garlic
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- Lots of fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1 avocado diced for garnish
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: tortilla chips
For the dressing
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 limes juiced
Instructions
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Prep: Wash and dry fresh produce. Chop pepper and tomatoes. Drain the beans. Peel garlic. Chop cilantro. Juice the limes. Cut corn off the cob.
-
Cook pasta according to package, drain, and return to pot.
-
Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan and add minced garlic. Cook until browned.
-
Add beans, green pepper, corn, and taco seasoning. Stir to mix and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until peppers are soft.
-
Pour bean mixture into the pasta pot, stir and mix. Allow to cool.
-
Meanwhile make the dressing: Add yogurt through lime juice to a food processor and run until well combined. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
-
Pour dressing and tomatoes into pot and mix to combine.
-
Garnish with cilantro and diced avocado. And optional crushed lime tortilla chips!
