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Test Kitchen Approved

Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad

Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 5 servings

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About

If you're trying to amend your carnivorous habit and neither bun nor the beach is within reach, Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad is the next best thing to a "cheeseburger in paradise." A bed of buttery, fluffy pasta is the vessel for this fun twist on the classic American creation. It's topped with everything Jimmy sings about: a big hunk of flavorful ground beef, crispy onions, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and savory cheddar cheese. These tasty ingredients swim in a sweet and creamy mayo-ketchup dressing that you might even want to dip your french-fried potatoes in. You'll be asking, "Which way do I steer?" to anchor your fork into some Jimmy Buffett Pasta Salad!

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Ingredients

  • For the salad:
  • 12 ounces whole-wheat pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pickles, chopped
  • 1/2 cup lettuce, shredded
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • For the dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup

Directions

Step 1 -Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the water from the pasta and place the pasta in a large bowl. Set it aside to cool.

Step 2 -While the pasta is cooking, in a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, the sweet onions, and the garlic. Season with the salt and the pepper.

Step 3 -Sauté the veggie mixture until soft and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 4 -Add the ground beef to the veggie mixture, crumbling the meat while cooking, until the beef is no longer pink, about 7-10 minutes. Season the beef mixture with more of the salt and more of the pepper.

Step 5 -Drain the excess grease from the beef mixture and place it in a separate bowl to cool.

Step 6 -Add the cooled beef mixture, the tomatoes, the red onions, the pickles, the lettuce, and the cheddar cheese to the cooled pasta. Stir to combine.

Step 7 -In a small bowl, stir the ketchup and the mayonnaise together until smooth.

Step 8 -Pour the dressing over the salad.

Step 9 -Plate and serve.

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