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Mexican Pasta Salad

Mexican pasta salad with a creamy cilantro-lime dressing and colorful mix-ins like black beans, corn, peppers, and cheddar. This Tex-Mex salad is cooked, rinsed, tossed, then chilled for bright flavor and a firm, non-mushy bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped
  • 0.1 salt to taste
  • 0.1 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain.
  2. Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking and let it cool slightly.
Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with black beans, corn, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and cheddar cheese.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece is coated.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to set the flavors and texture.
  2. Top with chopped cilantro right before serving and toss lightly once more.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinsing the pasta with cold water prevents clumping and keeps the pasta salad from getting mushy after chilling. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because the creamy dressing can separate. If you want a lighter option, swap mayonnaise and sour cream for Greek yogurt (use full-fat for the closest texture).