Cold Southwest Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing
Craving a side dish that is so good, it can stand alone as a meal? Something chilled, full of bold, smoky flavors, jalapenos and cilantro? Maybe for a get-together, so you need a make-ahead dish that is portable? Look no more as this Southwest Pasta Salad will transport you to the land of TexMex utopia! This will become a weekly go-to recipe that pairs well with so many main courses and is so easy to assemble. Every spoonful is a satisfying bite that hits all the right notes.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce box rotini pasta, cooked to package directions *see notes
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1 pint tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons jalapeno, minced
Southwest Dressing
- ¾ cup mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 10 ounce can Rotel, drained
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning- use store bought or my homemade version
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, making sure to cook to al dente so the pasta is still more firm. When the pasta has finished cooking, strain off the water and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and chill the pasta. If making pasta salad ahead see notes.
- While the pasta is chilling make the dressing. Add the dressing to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. This can be made ahead and stored separately for 2-3 days.
- In the largest mixing bowl you have, add the beans, corn, tomatoes, pepper, cheese, cilantro and jalapeno to the chilled pasta. Stir in the dressing to coat evenly. This recipe makes a lot of dressing so add and stir until it is coated to your liking. If making ahead you can reserve a half a cup to stir in right before serving in case the pasta soaks up all of the dressing.
- Serve chilled right away or see notes for make ahead options.
Notes
How to Cook Pasta- Cooking pasta for pasta salad is a little different than how you might regular cook it. Look at the package instructions and test the pasta a minute before the al dente time. It should have a bit of chew still which is what al dente means. Mushy pasta will not work for pasta salad because it will continue to soak up the sauce and will not hold up when stirred with the other ingredients.
Make Ahead- If you are planning early, you can prepare the dressing 2 to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. If you are making a whole salad ahead of time, keep the dressing in a separate airtight container until right before serving, so the pasta stays fresh and doesn't absorb too much of the dressing. Or reserve a ½ cup of dressing to add if it needs more.