Southwest Pasta Salad: This pasta salad from the Southwest, bursting with fire-roasted corn, tomatoes, peppers, and black beans and dressed with a zesty vinaigrette, serves as a satisfying midday meal or a savory side dish.
This week is back to school. It’s obvious to anyone with school-age children that this week will be quite hectic.
Readjusting to the school schedule is never easy for anyone. I therefore understand that in order to get through the week, I need to plan a few simple dinners.
Southwest Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rotini pasta or other shaped pasta of your choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can black beans, 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 can fire-roasted corn, 14.75 ounces, drained
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces diced green chiles
- 10 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro optional
- 1-2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken, optional
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup canned chipotle sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a big saucepan of salted water till it boils. When the pasta is al dente, add it and cook it as directed on the package. To end the cooking process, drain and rinse with cold water after cooking. Transfer to a sizable mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil.
- Prepare the dressing: Combine the sour cream, chipotle sauce, mayonnaise, and seasonings in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lime juice and salt & pepper to taste after combining. If you want a spicier vinaigrette, add a few dashes of your preferred hot sauce or extra lime juice for an acidic dressing.
- Toss the noodles with the remaining salad toppings and add the dressing. Mix everything together.
ALSO SEE
Nutrition
- Calories: 629kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated
- Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 426mg, Potassium: 595mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 994IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 221mg, Iron: 3mg
Notes
- Prepare your peppers, onions, and cherry tomatoes, and drain your beans and corn during the pasta’s boiling time.
FAQs AND QUESTIONS
How long is this pasta salad good for?
- Store southwest pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Can I do this ahead of time?
- Absolutely. You can easily make this recipe the night before you plan to serve it.
How to Make Southwest Pasta Salad.
- This dish is actually fairly straightforward, despite having a lengthy ingredient list. It makes enough to feed a crowd, or if you’re the meal-prepping kind, it can be used for lunch for several days.
Dressing ingredients
To make the dressing for this southwestern pasta salad, you will need:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup canned chipotle sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Any Mexican grocery store or the Hispanic foods department of your local supermarket will carry canned chipotle sauce.
- You can use two teaspoons of taco seasoning in place of the individual ingredients: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder if you don’t have any of them.