Easy Southwest Pasta Salad Recipe
This incredibly easy Southwest Pasta Salad recipe is super yummy with a delightful kick! It combines the flavors of black beans, corn, tomatoes, and jalapeños together with perfectly cooked pasta and a zesty lime dressing with a bit of spice. With its southwest-inspired ingredients, it’s a delightful twist on traditional pasta salads that will add a burst of color and flavor to any table and leave your taste buds wanting more! But that’s not all! This vegetarian pasta salad is not only delicious but it’s also a great make-ahead side dish that pairs perfectly with all your warm weather BBQ favorites like grilled chicken breast, burgers, and hot dogs! This means that you can plan ahead and then focus on enjoying the festivities with your friends and family on the day of the event!
Pasta – I typically use fusilli or penne pasta. But any small-shaped regular or gluten-free pasta will work such as farfalle, macaroni, rigatoni, or rotini pasta. Black Beans – Canned black beans are perfect in salads. Just make sure you drain them. You can also use pinto beans if you like. Corn – The corn adds some more texture and sweetness. I used canned corn, but frozen corn will work just as well. Cherry Tomatoes – Fresh ripe cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes cut into halves are ideal. Yet, any type of fresh tomato cut into bite-size pieces will do the trick. Green Bell Pepper – Adds some flavor and a lovely crunch! You can use any color of bell pepper you like. Red Onion – A little sweeter and more mild than yellow onions they are perfect in pasta salads. Yet, white onion is a great option too. Cilantro – No Tex-Mex inspired recipe would be complete without the addition of some chopped fresh cilantro for some herby Latin flavor. Jalapeno – Mixed into the salad to add a little extra kick! Serrano peppers are a good choice too. Cotija Cheese – It’s a type of dry crumbly cheese popular in Latin food. You can also use feta cheese if you can’t find any cotija at your local market.
Lime – Make sure to use fresh lime juice! Concentrated lime juice can be way too acidic and just isn’t quite the same. Olive Oil – I used olive oil for the added rich flavor that it adds, but any type of vegetable oil will work. Garlic – You should always use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor over the store-bought stuff, which can sometimes have an odd taste due to preservatives. Honey – Just a touch of honey is added to the dressing to round out the sour lime juice and spices in the dressing. Spices – Classic Latin spices such as chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika add a bit of kick and a hint of smoky flavor. Seasonings – Salt and black pepper are needed to season the dressing.
This tasty pasta salad is the perfect solution for a quick and easy side dish that is both filling and flavorful! In just a few simple steps, this nearly effortless recipe with very little prep time required comes together in a snap! To begin, you need to cook the pasta and cool it off a bit. So bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Then drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it with cold water to cool it down, stopping it from continuing to cook. You can do this step in two different ways. The first option is to vigorously whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Your second option is to put all the ingredients into a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it until a dressing forms. Both methods will do the trick as long as you whisk or shake the ingredients together until they start to emulsify. Combine the cooked pasta, beans, corn, peppers, onions, cilantro, and jalapeno in a big bowl. Now, do the grand pour-over with the dressing and mix it all up. It’s like a party where everyone’s invited – including the cheese, who makes a fashionable late entrance. Sprinkle it over the top and voila! Party in a bowl, ready to chill in the fridge before making its grand debut. Alright, let’s wrap it up and send it to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This is when the magic happens, flavors mingle, and the party really kicks off. The longer, the better – it’s like a flavor sleepover! Ready to serve? Pull out the chilled salad, top with avocado (if that’s your thing), and let the flavor fiesta begin!
Storage
This southwest pasta salad leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container. But if you notice that the pasta salad is beginning to get a little dry, you can easily whip together some more dressing and stir it together with the leftovers. This is a really easy way to revive pasta salad. I don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad! Both the pasta and the tomatoes do not hold up well in the freezer and tend to fall apart when thawed out.
Other Delicious Pasta Salads To Try
Italian Pasta Salad BLT Pasta Salad Greek Pasta Salad Taco Pasta Salad Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad Caprese Pasta Salad Tortellini Pasta Salad
