If you love making Mexican side dishes for potlucks, try my Loaded Mexican Sweet Potato Skins or my Healthy Greek Yogurt Guacamole. They’re sure to be a hit!
mexican pasta salad
With Fourth of July right around the corner what better way to celebrate then with an easy pasta salad recipe! This Mexican Pasta Salad is my favorite! It takes all of the creaminess and crunch of a regular pasta salad and makes it 10 x better by adding tons of Mexican seasonings, black beans and fresh cilantro. It makes the perfect side dish for barbecues, parties, or potlucks! This Mexican Pasta Salad Recipe takes only 15 minutes of prep time, can be made in advance and makes a great lunch that’s perfect for meal prep. Make it at the beginning of the week then portion it out for easy lunches throughout the week.
why you’ll love this:
This colorful fiesta pasta salad is loaded with tons of Mexican flavor! The dressing is thick and creamy with a little kick. I use a combination of sour cream (for the tang) and mayonnaise (to thicken it up.) The dressing has a bit of smokiness and heat from the chipotles in adobo. I also add in a ton of Mexican spices and a fresh squeeze of lime juice. There is SO much flavor in this pasta salad.
Ingredients for the BEST Mexican Pasta Salad
Pasta: Use your favorite type of pasta! I love using the jumbo elbow noodles from Trader Joe’s because they do a great job of holding all of the delicious dressing. My other favorite pastas to use for pasta salad are regular elbow macaroni, bow tie noodles, rotini, or cavatappi. Black Beans: To keep it simple I added a can of black beans. They’re already cooked and add flavor, texture and protein. Corn: Corn gives this Mexican Pasta Salad recipe extra sweetness and crunch! Fresh or frozen will both work well. Tomatoes: You can add any kind of fresh tomato you prefer! I love either cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. Vine-ripened usually has the best taste! Cilantro: Add the perfect freshness to this pasta salad. If you are not a fan of cilantro swap it out with fresh chopped parsley. Red onion: Just a little red onion goes a long way! I added 1/4 cup for a little more crunch and flavor. If your red onion has too much of a bite soak it in water for a bit to help muddle the flavors.
Creamy Mexican Dressing:
Mayonnaise & Sour Cream: This salad dressing is creamy and tangy thanks to the base ingredients: mayonnaise and sour cream! Feel free to swap Greek yogurt for the sour cream to lighten this dish. Adobo sauce: Just the sauce from a can of chilies in adobo sauce is the ingredient you’ll need. It’s smoky and spicy. Save the chilies for my Spicy Guacamole or my Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa. They also freeze really well! Spices: Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder are all mixed with the dressing to make a delicious flavor packed sauce! Lime: Finally, a squeeze of fresh lime adds some acidity and freshness to the sauce. Substitute lemon or apple cider vinegar if you are in a pinch.
How to make Mexican Pasta Salad
Boil the pasta: Until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients: Mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle in adobo (just the sauce), chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and fresh squeeze lime juice.
Assemble: Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl along with the black beans, corn, tomatoes, diced red onion and cilantro.
Add the sauce ingredients to the pasta and toss to coat.
Serve and enjoy! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve this Mexican Corn Pasta Salad immediately or chill before serving. When you are ready to eat serve with sliced or diced avocado.
Make-Ahead and Storage
To make ahead: I love making this macaroni salad a day or two ahead of time. This really lets the flavors develop! Storage: Store leftover Mexican street corn pasta salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What to serve with this Mexican Pasta Salad
Sere this Mexican side dish for a potluck, or with these other easy tasty dinners:
Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Grilled Steak Kabobs The BEST Grilled Chicken Grilled Maple Dijon Salmon Mexican Salmon Salad Easy Grilled Asian Chicken Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Instant Pot Barbacoa Chicken Carnitas
Here are more Easy Side Dish Recipes to try!
The BEST Macaroni and Cheese Bacon and Cheese Broccoli Salad Easy Baked Beans BLT Pasta Salad Creamy Confetti Corn Avocado Black Bean and Corn Salad Easy Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
