8ouncesshort pastamacaroni, penne, rotini, mini farfalle, etc.
1 ½cupcorncanned or frozen, thawed, rinsed, drained
15ouncesblack beanscanned, rinsed, drained
1pintcherry tomatoesor grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
½cuppurple oniondiced
Southwest Dressing
1cupmayonnaise
¼cupfreshly squeezed lime juice
2teaspoonschili powder
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoononion powder
1teaspoonground cumin
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoondried dill
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
⅛teaspooncayenne pepperor more by taste
Instructions
Boil your pasta per the package instructions, use an ice bath to chill it, then drain it and set it aside (or in your fridge).
8 ounces short pasta
Thaw the corn kernels, rinse and drain them. Also, open the can of beans, rinse and drain. After that, cut the tomatoes into halves (or quarters), and dice your onion.
1 ½ cup corn, 15 ounces black beans, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, corn, beans, tomatoes, and purple onion. Set aside.
½ cup purple onion
In a separate small bowl, combine the ingredients for the Southwest dressing. Pour the dressing over the pasta ingredients and toss to combine. (May reserve ½ cup of the dressing to add to the pasta salad the next day in the event that it needs extra moisture.)
1 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator until it’s ready to be served. The pasta salad will maintain its freshness for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
The calories listed are a approximation based on the ingredients and a serving size of one (1) cup of Southwest pasta salad. Actual calories will vary. The pasta salad can be stored in your fridge, in a sealed container, for up to three (3) days.