Taco Pasta Salad Avocado (Printable Format)

A colorful Tex-Mex pasta salad featuring crunchy chips, fresh vegetables, and creamy avocado ranch dressing.

# What's Needed:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
04 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
08 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

→ Toppings

09 - 2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, coarsely crushed
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Avocado Ranch Dressing

12 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
13 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
14 - 1/4 cup sour cream
15 - 1/4 cup buttermilk
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
20 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
22 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large salad bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and romaine lettuce.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Pour avocado ranch dressing over the salad mixture. Toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro to the salad. Toss gently to combine.
06 - Immediately before serving, sprinkle crushed Doritos over the salad for maximum crunch. Serve at once.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Doritos stay crispy until the last bite because you add them at the absolute last second.
  • Avocado ranch tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under five minutes with a blender.
  • It's vegetarian but hearty enough that no one notices the lack of meat, though you can easily add some if you want.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake is adding Doritos too early, and once you do that, you're committed to eating it immediately or accepting a soggy situation.
  • If your avocado is hard, the dressing won't blend smoothly, so let it sit at room temperature for an hour or two until it gives slightly when you press it gently.
03 -
  • If you don't have fresh lime juice, bottled works in a pinch, but fresh always tastes brighter and more alive.
  • The secret to this salad tasting restaurant-quality is not skipping the cilantro and making sure your avocado dressing is completely smooth with no little chunks of avocado hiding in there.
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