TEX-MEX PASTA SALAD

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad image

I first made this for my husband to take for a guy's skiing weekend. He didn't want a 'girlie' pasta salad, so this one has taco beef and cheese. Very hearty, and a big hit with all the guys. I have since brought it to a family reunion....now they request it every year!

Provided by Jennifer Sánchez

Categories Salad 100+ Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 1h35m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (24 ounce) jar mild salsa
1 (8 ounce) bottle ranch dressing
1 ½ red bell peppers, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
¾ cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

Steps:

Fill a large pot with water; pour in the olive oil and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the fusilli, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Mix in taco seasoning mix, remove from heat, and cool completely.
Combine salsa, ranch dressing, bell peppers, green onions, jalapenos, and black olives in a medium bowl. Toss together the cooked pasta, cooled beef mixture, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mixture in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 596.8 calories, Carbohydrate 43.2 g, Cholesterol 84.9 mg, Fat 34 g, Fiber 3.7 g, Protein 29.9 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Sodium 1540.9 mg, Sugar 6.3 g