Taco Pasta Salad Avocado (Printable)

Bright Tex-Mex pasta blend with Doritos, fresh vegetables, and creamy avocado dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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
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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and romaine lettuce. Toss gently to distribute vegetables evenly.
03 - Add avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, minced garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
04 - Pour avocado ranch dressing over pasta mixture and toss gently with salad tongs or large spoon to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro over dressed salad. Toss gently to incorporate.
06 - Immediately before serving, sprinkle crushed Doritos over top of salad to preserve crispness. Serve at once.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The avocado ranch dressing tastes homemade and fancy, but honestly tastes better than anything bottled.
  • Crushed Doritos at the end give you that satisfying crunch that makes people reach for seconds.
  • It's naturally vegetarian but flexible enough to add whatever protein you're in the mood for.
02 -
  • The Doritos go on at the very last second—this is not a suggestion, it is the law of this salad, and ignoring it will haunt you.
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta because starch makes everything sticky, and the whole salad will turn into a clump if you don't.
  • Make the avocado dressing fresh, not hours ahead, because avocado browns and tastes different once it's been sitting around.
03 -
  • Toast your Doritos in a dry pan for one minute right before crushing them if you want them to taste even more vibrant and crispy.
  • Make a double batch of avocado ranch dressing and keep it in a sealed jar for up to three days—it's good on literally everything.
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