Taco Pasta Salad: Spicy and Meat-Free

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Even though we’re still practicing social distancing and attending fewer barbecues this summer, that doesn’t mean we can’t make up delicious, chilly, pasta salads to serve alongside our favorite grilled foods. For this Taco Pasta Salad, you combine all your favorite fresh, spicy, Mexican flavors for a bold twist on your favorite cookout side dish.

I’ll keep this post short and sweet because aside from knowing how to boil water and cut vegetables, there’s very little special instruction that you need to make a small batch of Taco Pasta Salad.

This recipe makes just enough for 8 servings as a side dish. It can also be a full dinner for 4 people, meal-prep for 4 days, or enough to serve at dinner and then the next day for lunch. Because it’s packed with protein and veggies, it’s a full meal if you want it to be.

Taco Pasta Salad: Meat-Free but High-Protein

The key here is using meat-free crumbles. Boca, Quorn, and Morning Star all make really delicious ones. Keep in mind that Quorn is not vegan; it’s made with egg. My favorite, though, if you have a Kroger (or whatever it goes by in your neck of the woods) is the Simple Truth Meatless Crumbles. They taste really beefy and smoky as if they were grilled over charcoal.

If you don’t want to try meatless crumbles or are concerned about the ingredients list, double up the beans. Either 2 cups of black beans, or swap the crumbles for 1 cup of pinto beans to add color.

The protein content is going to vary based on which crumble you use or if you just do beans. But the important thing is that you’re getting quality plant protein and fiber.

The Taco Seasoning is Important

The important thing is getting the seasoning into your protein for flavor. Below, I have the spices listed out so you can build your own taco seasoning. If you would prefer though, you can get a very pure, salt-free high-quality taco seasoning with from Burma Spice that doesn’t have any of the weird add-ins that store-bought spice mixes usually have.

Could You Use Meat Instead?

Truthfully, yes, you can use 1 cup of whatever ground meat you prefer. The goal with this recipe though is to make a light summer pasta salad. Plus, it’s better for your budget, your health, and the environment to incorporate meat-free meals into your week.

The other reason to do a meat-free side dish is that you don’t want to compete with the main course. If you’re serving burgers, you don’t need more meat in the salad. That’s silly. Although, I would definitely encourage you to try a meat-free burger patty, too, for a totally meat-free dinner.

You Can Adjust the Heat Level of Your Taco Pasta Salad

This taco pasta salad is spicy, but the level of heat is totally up to you. Jalapeños are pretty hot, but if you are careful to remove the ribs and seeds, that tempers the heat by a lot. If you want it hotter, you can go nuts and use habañeros. For even milder heat, you can opt for Anaheim chiles. For absolutely no heat at all, swap for bell pepper. Here’s a quick reference for you:

• No heat – Bell Peppers (any color)
• Mild heat – Anaheim Chile
• Medium heat – Jalapeños
• High heat – Habañeros

Washing Your Hands after Handling Hot Peppers

If you use anything hotter than a bell pepper, please remember to wash your hands super well to avoid unexpected burning when you eventually touch your face later. Here in the midst of Covid-19, we’re all becoming handwashing experts, but pepper oil is a different beast altogether.

Here are some of my favorite tips for making sure you get your hands neutralized.

1. Wear gloves when you cut your peppers. Disposable gloves can be removed along with the offending chile oil and thrown away. Follow up with a good hand washing to remove the powdery feeling left by the gloves. There shouldn’t be any oil on your hands, but it’s still good to wash up.
2. Wash your hands with dish soap. Dish soap is formulated to cut through grease and oil. It will work harder to remove that spicy slick from your hands.
3. Follow your handwashing with an alcohol-based sanitizer (or a splash of vodka). Alcohol breaks up oil better than water, so a good wash in dish soap followed by a rinse in rubbing alcohol (or vodka, if that’s all you have) will help clear the chile oil away.
4. Try stainless steel soap. Most commonly used to remove the odor of garlic from your hands, stainless steel soap is a bar you use to neutralize the acid in the offending oil (chile, garlic, onion, fish, etc.). It’s important to use this with cold water for the best results.
5. Use dairy to cut the heat. You may have chased Nuclear Wings with a glass of milk to save your tongue, and the same principle applies to hand washing. Full fat milk or yogurt can similarly cut through the oil on your hands.

Combine the steps above however you need to feel comfortable touching your face again. I’m a big fan of a warm wash with dish soap, followed by a cold wash with the stainless steel soap, and topped off by a slathering on of hand sanitizer. The hotter the pepper you’re cutting, the more extreme your handwashing should be.

Get Ready to Party!

If we are ever able to have barbecues again, I would serve the burgers and hot dogs with this Taco Pasta Salad, my Greek Quinoa Salad, Fresh Mint Tea, and Texas Sheet Cake for dessert.

What about you? What are you making alongside your Taco Pasta Salad? Are you keeping it meat-free with me? Comment below and tell me what you’re up to! And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for weekly blog updates and a super cool biweekly meal planner and grocery list worksheet!

Taco Pasta Salad

Looking to spice up your pasta salad game? Enjoy the spicy, meat-free flavors of a great taco in an awesome picnic taco pasta salad!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 cups

Equipment

• Medium pot
• Strainer
• Medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup canned black beans drained
• 1 cup meat-free crumbles (I used Boca)
• 1 cup whole wheat rotini dry
• 2 large roma tomatoes
• 2 large green onions
• 1 large jalapeño
• 2 oz colby jack cheese cubed
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Boil the rotini to al dente. Then drain and rinse in cold water.
• Heat the meatless crumbles for about 30 seconds in the microwave to defrost but not heat through. Season with cilantro, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper.
• Drain and rinse your canned black beans.
• Dice the tomatoes. Mince the jalapeños. And slice the green onion.
• Add the pasta, seasoned meatless crumbles, black beans, and vegetables to your medium mixing bowl with the lime juice drizzled over top. Toss to combine.
• Chill until ready to serve.

Keyword Pasta, Salad, Taco, Vegetarian

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