This flavorful Mexican Pasta Salad is loaded with corn, tomatoes, and black beans, making it the perfect summer starter. Enjoy it with a glass of Sangria for the adults or lemonade for the kids!
Whether you’re spending your summer days at the pool, beach, movies, bowling alley, work, or on the porch, this Mexican Pasta Salad is ready when you are. It is a dairy-free salad that can go anywhere you go, so pack up your cooler and get ready to hit the road.
I love how quickly and easily Mexican pasta salad comes together. Summer is fun, and the last thing I want to do is spend that time leaning over a hot stove and stirring dinner. Pasta salads get me out of the kitchen and back to enjoying my leisure time with family and friends.
Don’t Make This Mistake When Making Mexican Pasta Salad…
If I had to guess the number one mistake people make when preparing Mexican pasta salad, or any pasta salad, it’s this:
Overcooking the pasta!
I know I am guilty far too often. I get busy and forget about the pot on the stove, or I taste the pasta, find it too hard, and then let it cook too long.
You want the pasta to be al dente, which is just a little chewy but not hard. If you cook your pasta all the way, it will become too soft and turn to mush in your salad. Take it from me; you don’t want to do this.
My Secret Pasta Salad Dressing Tip
When I make this Mexican pasta salad, I first use about ¾ of the dressing. I like to save some to add right before serving or a day or two later if most of the dressing absorbs into the pasta. That way, it always tastes fresh. This tip is helpful if you compile the entire salad the day before serving.
You should also taste the pasta salad before serving each time, as you might need to add more salt or pepper. Although pasta salad is easy to make because the flavors and oils absorb into the pasta and veggies, it could dry out a bit. Freshening it up before eating makes a huge difference.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Mexican pasta salad is easy to make ahead of time, including preparing some of the individual components. Pasta can be cooked, cooled, air-dried, and tossed in a little extra virgin olive oil. It can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before use.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican pasta salad is perfect alongside this Buffalo Chicken Recipe. You can enjoy the chicken on the side or dice it and add it to the pasta salad. Even on the hottest days of summer, there’s something to be said about a dinner of soup and salad. I enjoy Chicken Enchilada Soup along with the pasta salad. The flavors go great together.
And why not enjoy your meal with a refreshing glass of Watermelon Lemonade? It will cool you down on the hottest day and is an exciting twist on your standard summer beverage. I have also poured this lemonade into popsicle molds and made ice pops. Now, that is a treat that can’t be beaten!
Mexican Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 15 ounces can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice about 2 limes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ripe avocados diced
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until everything is well coated.
- Gently fold in the diced avocados and fresh cilantro just before serving to maintain their freshness and color.
- Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature, as preferred.
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