This Southwest Pasta Salad is light, refreshing, and delicious. Serve as a side dish or add grilled chicken to make this a perfect meal.
We love Mexican food, especially taco salad. My mother-in-law makes a killer Southwestern Taco Salad, and the dressing makes it so spectacular.
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Inspired by this, I needed an easy, quick side dish to take to all our summer get-togethers. I came up with this pasta salad using my mother-in-law’s dressing… It turned out oh so good! I added grilled chicken on top of it, which made it a complete meal. So serve it as a side dish or as the main course with your choice of meat.
Ingredients
Cumin Vinegarette Dressing
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Ground cumin
Pasta Salad
- Any pasta cooked, drained and cooled
- Red or orange bell pepper diced
- Green pepper diced
- Corn on the cob cooked and kernels removed or 10 oz bag frozen corn defrosted
- Canned black beans drained and rinsed
- Cherry tomatoes quartered, about 1 1/2 cups
- Cilantro coarsely chopped, 1-2 bunches
- Avocados cubed
- Cotija cheese optional, crumbled
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Southwest Pasta Salad
This Southwest Pasta Salad is light, refreshing, and delicious. Serve as a side dish or add grilled chicken to make this a perfect meal on its own.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound mini bowtie pasta cooked, drained and cooled
- 1 red or orange bell pepper diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 3 corn cobs cooked and kernels removed from stem or 10 oz bag frozen corn defrosted
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes quartered, about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 cups cilantro coarsely chopped, 1-2 bunches
- 2 avocados cubed
- 1 cup cotija cheese optional, crumbled
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar with a lid and shake until combined; you can also add to a small bowl and stir vigorously.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, diced peppers, corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, anc cilantro. Pour in dressing and toss to combine, then gently toss in the avocado and cotija cheese.
- Serve immediately or cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Cook time is the amount of time for the noodles to boil.
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!
Thank you so much for stopping by The Weekend Social Link Party over at Kitchen Dreaming. We have pinned your recipe. Hope to see you next time!
Thank you so much for pinning! xo San
What a fun twist on a traditional pasta salad. I am like you, I like anything Mexican inspired. Any chance you would be willing to share your mother in laws taco salad too? Thank you so much for sharing.
Mmmm, this sounds so delicious! I could eat Mexican food every single day.:) Definitely pinning to make this summer to go with some of our grilling. Thanks so much for sharing on Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in this week’s issue.
Wow does this look amazing! And it’s loaded with lots of favorites too. I found you over The Silly Pearl. I host Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday and would love it if you linked up this recipe. I’m sure our party goers would love it as much as I do. Here is the link http://bit.ly/1l4cu0j. Have a wonderful day!!
Thanks Lori – I love your party and already linked up! xo San
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Miz Helen