Southwest Pasta Salad
A colorful and creamy pasta salad with black beans, corn, peppers, and a spicy chipotle dressing, perfect as a side or main dish.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry rotini pasta (or preferred shape)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can black beans 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 can fire-roasted corn 14.75 oz, drained
- 1/2 each red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 each green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 each red onion finely chopped
- 8 oz diced green chiles
- 10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
- 1 to 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (optional)
- 1 cup mayonnaise for dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream for dressing
- 1/4 cup canned chipotle sauce for dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder for dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin for dressing
- 1 each lime juice of half, for dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste, for dressing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Toss the cooled pasta with olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add black beans, corn, bell peppers, onion, green chiles, tomatoes, cheese, and chicken (if using) to the pasta bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and fold gently until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
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Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.