Cowboy Pasta Salad is a loaded, hearty cold pasta salad that’s perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, and any time you need a side dish that doubles as a meal. It’s packed with ground beef, bacon, black beans, corn, and tomatoes, all tossed in a creamy barbecue dressing that brings everything together.
Cowboy Pasta Salad
What makes this recipe so amazing is that it’s basically cowboy caviar meets pasta salad, and the combo is just as good as it sounds. It’s one of those dishes that everyone goes back for seconds on, and it’s easy enough to throw together on a busy weeknight or the morning of a cookout.
Ingredients & Equipment
- Rotini pasta noodles
- Ground beef
- Bacon
- Black beans
- Corn
- Grape tomatoes
- Mexican blend cheese
- Green onions
- Mayonnaise
- Barbecue sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Sriracha sauce
Full measurements for each ingredient can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also need a few things from your kitchen:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large pot
- Colander
- Medium skillet
- Spatula or spoon
- Large skillet
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
Step By Step Directions
This recipe makes 12-16 servings. It takes 10 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time, plus 1 hour of chill time.
Step 1. Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters depending on the size. Dice the green onions.
Step 2. Cook the pasta noodles in a large pot according to package directions. Pour the cooked noodles into a colander and run cold water over them to cool.
Step 3. Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to a medium skillet and cook over medium low heat until cooked. Drain the grease and set the bacon aside.
Step 4. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.
Step 5. Add the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, worcestershire sauce and sriracha sauce to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Step 6. Add the pasta noodles to a large bowl and toss with the mayonnaise mixture.
Step 7. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine.
Step 8. Cover and chill for 1 hour, then serve.
Step 9. Top with more diced green onions to serve.
Variations
- Make it spicier: Add diced jalapenos or increase the sriracha for more heat. A sprinkle of chili powder in the dressing is also great.
- Use turkey or chicken instead: Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken for a lighter version.
- Add avocado: Diced avocado stirred in right before serving adds a creamy texture that’s really good with the barbecue dressing.
- Try different beans: Pinto beans or kidney beans work just as well as black beans if that’s what you have on hand.
- Switch up the cheese: Pepper jack or sharp cheddar cubes add a different flavor that pairs well with the smoky barbecue dressing.
- Add ranch: Mix in a couple tablespoons of ranch dressing along with the mayo for a BBQ ranch twist.
Leftovers & Storage
Store leftover cowboy pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you’re not serving it right after the initial hour of chilling, I suggest only adding half the dressing at first, then toss with the other half right before you’re ready to serve. This keeps it from getting dry or overly absorbed.
Tips & Tricks
- Rinse your pasta with cold water right after cooking. This stops the cooking and keeps the noodles firm, which is exactly what you want for a cold pasta salad.
- Let the ground beef and bacon cool before adding them. If they’re too hot, they’ll warm up the whole salad and make things a little soggy.
- Halve the dressing if making ahead. Toss with half the dressing when you prep it, then add the rest before serving. The pasta soaks up dressing as it sits, so this keeps it creamy.
- Drain your beans and corn well. Extra liquid from the cans will water down the dressing. Give them a good rinse and drain.
- Cut your tomatoes into quarters if they’re large. You want bite-sized pieces that mix in evenly with everything else.
- Adjust the sriracha to your family’s taste. Start with less if your kids are sensitive to heat. You can always add more.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make cowboy pasta salad ahead of time? Yes, it’s a great make-ahead recipe. Prep it the night before and store it in the fridge. Just add half the dressing when you make it and the other half before serving so it stays creamy.
Can I skip the sriracha to make it kid-friendly? Absolutely. Without the sriracha, the dressing is still really flavorful from the barbecue sauce and worcestershire. You can also just reduce it to half a teaspoon for a tiny bit of warmth without real heat.
What kind of barbecue sauce works best? Whatever you normally keep in your fridge works. A sweet or honey barbecue sauce pairs really well with the other flavors, but smoky or hickory varieties are great too.
Can I use a different pasta shape? Rotini works best because the spirals hold onto the dressing, but penne, cavatappi, or bow ties all work fine in a pinch.
Can I use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon? Yes, turkey bacon works. Just make sure you cook it until it’s nice and crispy so it adds that same crunch and smoky flavor.
How do I keep the pasta salad from getting dry? The biggest trick is reserving half the dressing to add right before serving. Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, so that second addition makes all the difference.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Bruschetta Pasta Salad
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Pepperoni Pasta Salad
- Caesar Pasta Salad
- Sausage Pasta Salad
- Mexican Pasta Salad
- Grinder Pasta Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz rotini pasta noodles
- 1 lb ground beef
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 15.25 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can corn drained
- 1 pt grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1 cup mexican blend cheese shredded
- 2-3 green onions diced
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp barbecue sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tsp Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters depending on the size. Dice the green onions.
- Cook the pasta noodles in a large pot according to package directions. Pour the cooked noodles into a colander and run cold water over them to cool.
- Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to a medium skillet and cook over medium low heat until cooked. Drain the grease and set the bacon aside.
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.
- Add the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, worcestershire sauce and sriracha sauce to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta noodles to a large bowl and toss with the mayonnaise mixture.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Cover and chill for 1 hour, then serve.
- Top with more diced green onions to serve.
Notes
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