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Cowboy Pasta Salad

Cowboy pasta salad with penne, black beans, corn, and BBQ ranch dressing for a hearty, crowd-ready side. Chilled for a couple of hours so the flavors meld, then topped with crunchy Fritos and bacon for classic Southwestern crunch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 590
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 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 slices cooked and crumbled
  • 2 cup Fritos corn chips crushed
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, so the pasta stays firm.
Make BBQ ranch dressing
  1. Mix the ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and chili powder in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir until fully combined.
Build the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Toss gently so the mix is evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the BBQ ranch dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Keep tossing until the pasta and veggies look evenly coated.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours. Cover it so the flavors meld without drying out.
Serve
  1. Just before serving, top with the bacon and crushed Fritos. Add them at the end for maximum crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water right after draining so it doesn’t get mushy in the fridge. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep Fritos separate until serving to maintain crunch. Freezing isn’t recommended. For a lighter version, use light ranch dressing and reduce the shredded cheddar by about half.