Summertime usually means lots of get-togethers and BBQ parties, which also means bring on the pasta salads! They really are simple to whip up and make a great side dish to pair with burgers, hot dogs, and ribs. This taco pasta salad is amazing and gives a brand new flavor to the typical pasta salad side dish. Taco Pasta Salad takes on the flavors we love in a taco – but is mixed in with pasta. The combo gives you a fun, unique dish to wow your friends with.
This recipe shows you how to make pasta salad in a lightened up way, so you’re not laden with tons of calories from dressing or heavy pasta. The addition of veggies and lean meat bulk this dish right up so you stay full and satisfied, rather than hungry later on. It even makes a great meal prepped lunch option since it’s fully balanced with veggies, protein, and carbs.
Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!
It’s a fun way to vary the classic pasta salad recipe.
You still get tender pasta in this dish, but in place of the normal ingredients, we have taco inspired flavors and ingredients!
By using ground turkey, you add a good dose of protein to pasta salad.
This isn’t your typical side dish. It comes loaded with a whopping 14 grams of protein per serving. That’s enough to make this a fully balanced lunch option if you need something you can prep ahead of time.
Taco Pasta Salad is a breeze to whip up.
I suggest using pre-cooked pasta. It keeps well and it makes this recipe so easy to mix together in just a few minutes.
Ingredients you need to make Taco Pasta Salad:
- 1 lb fat free ground turkey, weighed raw
- 2.5 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cups of cooked rotini style pasta
- 1 cup diced bell peppers
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
- ½ cup light Catalina dressing or French dressing
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 4 hard taco shells, crushed
How to make Taco Pasta Salad (step by step):
- Cook and drain the pasta if you’re not using pre-cooked pasta.
- Brown the ground turkey and stir in the 2.5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Drain off any fat that’s in the pan and add the taco seasoned turkey to a bowl.
- Add the pasta, peppers, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning, and dressing to the ground turkey bowl and stir well. Once you are ready to serve, stir in the crushed taco shells.
- Store any leftover taco pasta salad in the fridge. Enjoy!
Makes 12 (1 cup) servings. Nutrition info for 1 cup: Calories 134, Fat 4 g, Saturated fat 1.57 g, Carbs 13 g, Fiber 1.95 g, Sugars 2.13 g, Sodium 529 mg, Protein 14 g.
WW Points
- Fat free ground turkey 0 points
- Taco seasoning 1 point
- Cooked whole wheat rotini style pasta 8 points
- Diced peppers 0 points
- Diced red onion 0 points
- Grape tomatoes cut in half 0 points
- Shredded iceberg lettuce 0 points
- Reduced fat shredded cheese 14 points
- Reduced calorie Catalina dressing or French dressing 14 points
- Taco seasoning 0 points
- Taco shells crushed 8 points
4 points per cup based on the WW app recipe creator.
If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below.
Personal Points- 2-4 depending on your 0PP foods
Freestyle smart points- (Blue & purple) 4 using WW recipe builder *swap out white pasta for whole wheat and recipe is 2SP on purple
Smart Points- (green) 4 using SP calculator
Point Plus- 4 using PP calculator
Different ways to change up this recipe:
- Use taco seasoned Quest chips instead of taco shells to add protein, and reduce the calories!
- Extra Lean Ground beef is a great substitute for the turkey if you have the Weight Watchers points for it. Ground chicken could also be used.
- I know typical pasta salad is made with Italian dressing, but the Catalina or French dressing adds just a hint of sweetness that I find this recipe really needs. Definitely try it even if you’re skeptical.
Tips and Tricks for Making Taco Pasta Salad:
- The taco shells are best added only when ready to serve as they will go soggy after a while.
- This taco pasta salad will last in the fridge for up to seven days without the taco shells added to it. I suggest just sprinkling a few crushed chips over the top if you’re going to eat just one serving a day. That way they stay fresh and crunchy.
Similar recipes you’ll enjoy:
taco pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb fat free ground turkey, weighed raw
- 2.5 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 cups of cooked rotini style pasta, I weighed pasta uncooked and picture below for my nutritional numbers, the 2 cups uncooked was 17SP
- 1 cup diced peppers, I used green & yellow
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese, I used a 3 cheese blend
- 1/2 cup calorie wise catalina dressing, or french dressing
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 4 taco shells, crushed
Instructions
- Cook and drain the pasta if you’re not using pre-cooked pasta.
- Brown the ground turkey and stir in the 2.5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Drain off any fat that’s in the pan and add the taco seasoned turkey to a bowl.
- Add the pasta, peppers, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning, and dressing to the ground turkey bowl and stir well. Once you are ready to serve, stir in the crushed taco shells.
- Store any leftover taco pasta salad in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi there, question on the pasta salad, how much would dressing be per serving if I put it on separately so it wouldn’t get soggy?
Thank you in advance!
Hi, my dressing for the amount used in the recipe was 8SP total
This was delicious, thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it Trish 🙂