1 ½cupshalved grape tomatoes(or quartered if they’re large)
3cupsshredded romaine lettuce
2cupsfinely shredded Mexican blend cheese
½mediumred onion,diced
tortilla chips or Doritos,for serving, optional
chopped cilantro,for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the rotini noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water until the pasta has cooled significantly, and shake off as much excess water as possible.
Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the taco seasoning to ground beef, stir together until thoroughly combined, then remove from heat.
Transfer the cooked ground beef to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cooled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
While the beef and noodles are cooling, make the dressing by adding chunky salsa, sour cream, and catalina dressing to a small bowl. Stir together to combine, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Once everything has cooled completely, add the tomatoes, red onions, shredded cheese, lettuce, and homemade dressing to the large bowl. Toss together to combine.
Mix in the crushed tortilla chips right before serving or just serve them on the side so they don’t get soggy. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
Notes
Tortilla chips: Mix in the crushed tortilla chips right before serving or just serve them on the side so they don’t get soggy.
Dressing: If you can’t find catalina dressing, use French dressing instead.
Gluten free: To make this recipe gluten free, replace the pasta with quinoa or gluten free pasta.
Leftovers: The salad is best served fresh, but you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.