Taco Pasta Salad

This post was sponsored by the wonderful people over at Ancient Harvest!

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, or even just scrolled through some of my most recent posts, you can probably tell I love tacos of all kinds. I love coming up with different ways to enjoy them, from black beans, to jackfruit, to potatoes. I don’t discriminate! Another one of my favorite meals to enjoy is a good bowl of pasta. I melt at the thought of it! That’s why this taco pasta salad is so ideal. It’s the perfect mix between my two favorites!

Making this taco pasta salad couldn’t get any easier. Just a few basic ingredients and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s ready in no time! Instead of using regular pasta, I decided to try something different and use the Elbow Chickpea Pasta from Ancient Harvest. Wondering what makes this pasta unique? It’s definitely not your average pasta– it’s got 12 grams of protein per serving! Instead of a combination of wheat and flour, it’s made from just a few simple ingredients: Chickpea Flour, Yellow Pea Flour, and Brown Rice Flour. That’s it! I’m amazed at how far we’ve come with the creativity in the food world!

I picked up this Ancient Harvest Chickpea Pasta at my local Sprouts, but I’ve also seen it in other retailers so check with your local grocer or use this store locator to find out where you can find it at a store near you.

Now I know you’re probably wondering what the taste is like… it’s got a pretty neutral taste that’s similar to pasta, but not exactly. Also, I would imagine that because it doesn’t contain any weird additives, you’ll notice a difference in texture. Therefor, cooking the pasta properly is KEY! I got the best results by bringing a pot of water to a boil, then cooking the pasta for about 3.5-4 minutes. It cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it! Also, be gentle when stirring to help the pasta maintain its shape.

I’m super excited to share this dish with friends and family for different gatherings. This taco pasta salad would be perfect for replacing a traditional pasta salad at your upcoming cookout. Give the people something different! They’ll be asking you for the recipe for sure 😉

Hungry yet? Get in the kitchen and give this taco pasta salad a try! Let me know what you think of it in the comments below!

If you love this recipe, be sure to try my vegan potato salad recipe too!

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5 from 1 vote

Taco Pasta Salad

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Pasta, Salad, Taco

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes minutes

Total Time 19 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 box of POW! Chickpea Elbows
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 cup canned corn (or more if you’d like)
• 1/2 medium red onion diced
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1-2 avocados diced
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning

Avocado Lime Dressing

• 1/2 medium ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp agave
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Once boiling add in one package of POW! Chickpea Elbows and let cook for 3.5-4 minutes. Stir consistently. 

  Careful! They cook fast so you’ll want to keep an eye on them!
• Once the noodles have finished cooking, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl.
• Using a blender, combine the ingredients for the Avocado Lime Dressing. Set aside.
• Add in all other remaining pasta salad ingredients in addition to the dressing and combine until well mixed. Garnish with cilantro.

  Tip: Stir gently to help the pasta maintain its shape
• Serve immediately at room temperature or chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator and then serve. Enjoy!