Cowboy Pasta Salad

Cowboy pasta salad is a hearty BBQ ranch pasta salad with beans, corn, cheddar, and crunchy Fritos on top. It’s tossed with a ranch–BBQ dressing, chilled for texture, then finished with bacon for a loaded Southwestern-style bite.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

chilling 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 520

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 lb penne pasta
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 red bell pepper diced
0.5 cup red onion diced
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup ranch dressing
0.25 cup BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
6 bacon cooked and crumbled
2 cups Fritos corn chips crushed
0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook and cool the pasta

Cook the penne pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and keep it from sticking.

Mix the BBQ ranch dressing

Mix the ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and chili powder in a small bowl until smooth and evenly tinted.

Assemble the salad

Combine the pasta, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
Pour the BBQ ranch dressing over the salad and toss to coat so every bite looks glossy with dressing.

Chill

Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the pasta firms up.

Finish and serve

Just before serving, top the salad with the cooked and crumbled bacon for savory crunch.
Finish with crushed Fritos corn chips so they stay crisp on top.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta with cold water and chill before adding the Fritos so they don’t soften. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; add fresh Fritos right before serving each time. Freezing is not recommended because the pasta and creamy dressing can change texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar and light ranch dressing.