Mexican Pasta Salad
Fiesta Pasta Salad is a Mexican pasta salad loaded with corn, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, and a fresh lime vinaigrette for a zesty, flavorful, summer side dish!
So who else is counting down the days until summer vacation??? We've hit that point in May where this mama's head is about to explode. Fortunately, I got to take a little break yesterday. My hubby and kids did their best to spoil me for Mother's Day! And I just so happened to bring this Mexican pasta salad -- or Fiesta Pasta Salad, if you will -- to a family gathering on Saturday when we celebrated Mother's Day with my mother-in-law...between baseball games, of course. We were keeping lunch simple and kid-friendly with sandwiches and ice cream cake. So I decided to contribute a dish that was fresh and summery and could be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. And it was such a hit that I just had to share it here today!
Ingredients
Yes, indeed...I'm happy to say that Fiesta Pasta Salad was just the thing to round out our meal. My father-in-law commented more than once that he hoped I had written down the recipe. And I told him that I practically had the recipe memorized, since this Mexican pasta salad is simply a spin on the Corn, Black Bean, & Tomato Salad that I've been making for years:
- Corn.
- Black beans.
- Tomatoes.
- Jalapeño.
- Cilantro.
I just tweaked the ratio of the fresh lime vinaigrette and added corkscrew pasta.
And the result was so yummy that I'm not sure why I never thought to turn that recipe into a pasta salad before.
After all, pasta is the perfect vehicle for all of the different flavors and textures partying together in this recipe...which is why I thought Fiesta Pasta Salad (highlighting the Tex-Mex flavors) was a simpler title than Corn, Black Bean, Tomato, Jalapeño, & Cilantro Pasta Salad. 😉
How to Make Mexican Pasta Salad
This recipe is super easy to throw together for all of your summer potlucks, picnics, parties, BBQs, and get-togethers. In fact, it couldn't get anymore straightforward!
- Boil the pasta.
- Thaw a bag of frozen sweet corn.
- Rinse and drain a couple cans of black beans.
- Chop up some tomatoes and cilantro.
- Shake together a fresh lime juice vinaigrette.
- Toss it all together!
In fact, it will amaze you that such a simple recipe can turn out so delicious.
Dressing Tips
Any time I make pasta salad, I like to dress it with about two-thirds of the dressing, mix everything together, and refrigerate for awhile to allow all of the flavors to meld. Then just before serving, I stir in the remaining dressing, since so much of the original dressing gets absorbed into the pasta while chilling. The result is a pasta salad that boasts flavor through and through!
I've already decided that I'm going to make Fiesta Pasta Salad again come Memorial Day. The busy-ness of May will be mostly behind us, the last day of school will be mere days away, and I'll be ready to wholeheartedly welcome summer. So what better way to celebrate than stuffing my face with my new favorite pasta salad?!
Hope y'all love it just as much...and may the force be with all of us these next few weeks. 😉
More Pasta Salads
- Caprese Orzo Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad with Avocado
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, & Fresh Corn
- Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
- Cobb Pasta Salad
Mexican Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta salad:
- 8 ounces corkscrew pasta, cooked in salted water according to package directions & drained
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
- 16 ounces frozen corn
- 16 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered (OR about 2 extra-large tomatoes, seeded & chopped)
- 2 fresh jalapeños, seeded, all membranes removed, & finely diced, optional
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated, or shaking them in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Set aside.
- Place the cooked pasta and the rinsed black beans in a very large bowl. Thaw the corn by placing it in a colander and running it under warm water; drain well and add to bowl. Add the tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro to the bowl, and pour about two-thirds of the dressing over top. Gently mix all of the ingredients with a large spoon until well combined. Refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to blend. Just before serving, stir in the remainder of the dressing and garnish with additional cilantro, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Post originally published on May 15, 2017.
Made this today, it was loved by all! I substituted the corn with frozen southwest corn, cooked then rinsed. Used one bag of corn which was 15oz. A pint and a half of cherry tomatoes and used fresh garlic paste instead of cloves. Super easy, very delicious!
Have you ever made this without cilantro? I am allergic to it but would like to try this
Hi Patty! You can just leave out the cilantro. 🙂
Can you make this the night before and refrigerate? I am going to make like this recipe X 5 for a graduation party on Sat.
Yes! I'd just suggest reserving some of the dressing to stir in just before serving, since the pasta salad will absorb much of the initial application of dressing as it chills.
I am newly vegan but find it challenging to prepare meals. I love this simple recipe because it is vegan and it uses beans...which I am learning to use. And I am a fan of the straightforward, speechless videos.
Turned out great and was enjoyed by the non-meat eaters of the high school marching band.
For looks, I used tri colored pasta and tomatoes. I changed one of the cans of black beans to Pinot, Only because I accidently grabbed and opened the wrong can. I forgot to buy jalapenos, so I used hot sauce (Yuzu from Trader Joe's), it is citrus flavored, I thought it would go well with the lime juice in the dressing. And I added in about a cup of cooked quinoa (I try to sneak in protein whenever possible).
Perhaps, I really didn't make this recipe...but it was a good baseline.
My husband is enjoying the left overs with grated Cotija.
Very good recipe! I substituted the regular corkscrew pasta with a chickpea version of it.