🤠🍝 Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad (BBQ-Style Protein Pasta)

🔥 Smoky, creamy, crunchy & packed with beefy BBQ flavor—perfect for parties or meal prep
⏱ Prep Time: 15 min
🔥 Cooking Time: 10 min
⌛ Total Time: 25 min
🍽 Servings: 4
🔥 Kcal per serving: ~520 kcal
💪 Protein per serving: ~32g
🛒 Ingredients
250g pasta (penne or rotini)
300g ground beef
1/2 cup sweet corn
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/3 cup red onion (finely chopped)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (cubed or shredded)
1/4 cup pickles (chopped)
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Greek yogurt (optional for lighter version)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & black pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
👨🍳 Instructions
Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and let cool.
Heat olive oil in a pan and cook ground beef until browned.
Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and BBQ sauce. Mix well and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, beef, corn, tomatoes, onion, pickles, and cheese.
Add mayo + Greek yogurt and mix until creamy and well coated.
Chill for 10–15 minutes for best flavor (optional but recommended).
Serve cold or slightly room temp.




