Description
This vibrant Mexican Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing is a fresh and flavorful dish perfect for summer gatherings or potlucks. Featuring rotini pasta, black beans, corn, fresh vegetables, and a zesty creamy dressing with lime and chili spices, it’s a delicious and colorful salad that combines the best of Mexican-inspired flavors in a simple, no-cook assembly after pasta preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini or elbow pasta
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed from frozen)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese (optional)
Creamy Dressing
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely, preventing it from sticking and stopping further cooking.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, and shredded cheese if using.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Toss Salad: Pour the creamy dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld beautifully, then serve chilled.
Notes
- Add diced jalapeño for extra heat if desired.
- Add grilled chicken for additional protein.
- To keep salad fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge, omit the avocado until just before serving to prevent browning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
