This zesty Taco Pasta Salad features vegan "beef" crumbles, crisp veggies, and a creamy southwest dressing. It's so delicious, flexible, and satisfying! (Vegan, refined oil-free, gluten-free option.)
This recipe is all the flavor & goodness of tacos... but served in delicious pasta form. (Yes!) It's so zesty, nourishing, and incredibly satisfying.
It features a healthy, protein-rich base of tender pasta and homemade chickpea-walnut taco crumbles. Then we add crisp veggies like romaine, red onion, juicy tomato, and sweet corn.
Finally, we toss it in a creamy southwest-style dressing. (It's the same dressing I created for my Mexican Macaroni Salad - so flavorful and tasty!)
Best of all, it's super flexible with your favorite additions or whatever you have on hand. See below for some ideas. This recipe makes a large amount so it's a great dish for meal prep or crowds - bring it to family gatherings, picnics, BBQs, and potlucks!
Ingredients for Taco Pasta Salad
For this recipe, you'll toss together in a large mixing bowl:
- Elbow pasta: Be sure to use gluten-free if needed. (Lately I've been using "Jovial" brand made from organic brown rice.) Or swap in a different shape like rotini pasta, fusilli, or shells.
- Sweet corn: Either cooked fresh, frozen (then thawed), or canned works great. Most often I use a 15-ounce can for convenience. I purchase organic corn kernels whenever possible.
- Roma tomatoes: Or substitute with grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes for a stronger, sweeter flavor.
- Romaine lettuce: This adds lots of refreshing crunch to the salad!
- Black olives: These are optional, so just leave them out if you're not a fan.
- Red onion: If these are too strong for your taste, swap in about 3 green onions instead.
- Fresh cilantro
- Vegan "beef" crumbles: We'll use one batch of my easy Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles. They add texture, plant-based protein, and zesty flavor thanks to the taco seasoning.
- Vegan mayo: I use my homemade Cashew Mayo, but substitute your own favorite mayo or store-bought. (Dairy-free sour cream could also possibly work, but I haven't tested that version.)
- Salsa: Either store-bought or homemade is great. (I enjoy this Restaurant-Style Blender Salsa.) You'll need a half cup salsa. You can use mild or medium, thin or chunky. Your call!
- Fresh lime juice
- Taco seasoning: We'll use a couple teaspoons of my homemade Taco Seasoning blend to enhance the dressing. I prepare this ahead of time and keep it in a sealed jar in the pantry.
Customizing
Other additions: Add red bell pepper, avocado, black beans, pinto beans, or crumbled tortilla chips for crunch!
Dressing amount: The salad is lightly to moderately dressed. If you like yours saucy and creamy, then increase the dressing (or slightly reduce the salad ingredients).
Make it cheesy: Add vegan cheddar cheese shreds or nutritional yeast.
Meatless crumbles: Swap out the chickpea-walnut taco crumbles for your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles. (Either store-bought or homemade.) Cook this separately according to package instructions. I suggest adding 1-2 tablespoons of Taco Seasoning to flavor it while cooking. Use about 1-2 cups crumbles.
Make it spicy: This recipe is mild as written if using mild salsa and taco seasoning. For some heat, include diced jalapenos (either fresh or pickled), chipotle in adobo sauce, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or simply top with your favorite hot sauce before serving.
Serving
This dish is great for crowds! Bring it to BBQs, picnics, family gatherings, and potlucks. It's also tasty for meal prep, take-along lunches, or simply enjoyment at home.
Main dish or side dish: It's hearty enough for a main dish, but can be served as a side dish as well. I find it's about 6-8 servings as a main dish, or 10-14 as a side dish. This recipe makes a large batch! (It's about 14 cups salad total.) So reduce the recipe if you don't want that much.
Storing
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Once it's tossed with the dressing, I find it holds up for about 3 days. It slightly dries out as it chills, so feel free to reserve some of the dressing to toss in later. (I don't bother with this, but it can help keep the salad more creamy and fresh.)
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan salad recipes.
Taco Pasta Salad (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 1 batch Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles
- 8 oz. elbow pasta (GF if needed)
- 1 1/2 cups sweet corn, cooked
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 2 cups romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup black olives
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
For the creamy southwest dressing:
- 3/4 cup cashew mayo (or store-bought)
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. taco seasoning
Instructions
- Make taco crumbles: Start by making the Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles. (Or make these up to a day in advance, then store in the refrigerator until ready.)
- Cook pasta: Cook your pasta according to package instructions, leaving al dente (slightly firm, not mushy). When it's finished, rinse with cool water to halt the cooking. Drain it well and set aside.
- Make dressing: Meanwhile, add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Prepare vegetables: Dice the tomatoes. Chop or thinly slice the romaine lettuce. Slice the black olives. Dice the red onion. Roughly chop the cilantro. Add all veggies to an extra-large bowl with the sweet corn. (I use my huge 4-quart mixing bowl.)
- Assemble salad: Add the cooked pasta and taco crumbles to the veggies. Then add the dressing and gently toss until combined. You can serve it immediately at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator first for at least an hour. Right before serving, add crumbled tortilla chips for crunch if you wish.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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J says
Excellent pasta salad
Kaitlin says
Great to hear!