Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Cook pasta and cool
- Cook the pasta shells or rotini according to package directions until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. You want the pasta to feel cool and separate in appearance.
Brown beef and cool
- Brown the ground beef in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, then add taco seasoning according to package directions and stir to coat. Spread on a sheet pan and cool until warm-to-room temperature, so it won’t melt the dressing.
Make creamy dressing
- Mix ranch dressing with salsa until smooth and lightly speckled. It should look evenly blended, not streaky.
Assemble salad
- Combine the pasta, ground beef, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, and red onion in a large bowl, distributing the mix evenly. The salad should show all colors throughout.
- Pour the ranch-salsa dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat every piece of pasta. Stop when the mixture looks glossy and evenly creamy.
Chill and top
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the pasta firms and the flavors meld. It should be cold throughout when you check it.
- Top with crushed tortilla chips, lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro right before serving. Use the chips last so they stay crisp-looking.
Notes
Pro tip: cool the seasoned ground beef and rinse the pasta with cold water—this prevents the creamy dressing from turning runny. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep toppings separate and add tortilla chips, lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro just before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because the pasta and dairy dressing texture changes. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat ranch and a reduced-fat cheddar to cut calories while keeping the Tex-Mex flavor.