This Mexican Pasta Salad starts with mini bowtie pasta and is loaded with veggies and black beans. A delicious chili-lime vinaigrette tops this salad.
Craving a Mexican-inspired pasta salad with a creamy dressing? Try this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad — it’s a fan favorite on the site!
Mexican Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are on repeat in my house throughout the summer! It’s my go-to choice because the entire family loves it, there’s no need to turn on the oven, and it’s quick to prepare.
Most pasta salads tend to be on the heavier side with lots of mayo (and trust me, I’m not complaining about those because I love them–hi Easy Macaroni Salad), but this pasta salad is much lighter.
This pasta salad has a dressing made of vinegar and olive oil that is fresh and zesty from the lime juice. It has spices that make it tasty and a little bit spicy. With this flavor-packed dressing, you won’t miss the typical mayo filled pasta salads!
Ingredients
Salad:
- Pasta: Don’t dump the whole box of pasta in, we’re only using 3 cups! Rinse the pasta as soon as you drain it to prevent sticking.
- Corn and black beans: If you choose to use fresh corn, grilling adds a delicious smoky flavor.
- Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion: These give everything crunch and color. Cut all the vegetables the same size so they spread out evenly in the salad and every bite tastes similar.
- Cilantro and avocado: Add avocado right before serving to prevent browning. If you’re not a cilantro fan you can leave it out or swap it for chopped parsley.
Dressing:
- Olive oil and rice vinegar: Form the base of the dressing, balancing richness and acidity.
- Lime juice, sugar, and seasonings: These ingredients make the dressing tangy, sweet, and spicy. If you don’t like much spice, use less cayenne pepper. If you love spice, use more.
Quick Tip
Tomato cutting trick: To quickly cut many cherry tomatoes, place them on an upside-down plate with a raised edge. Put another plate on top, press gently, and slice through the tomatoes with a sharp serrated knife.
How To Make Mexican Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta: Boil the pasta until soft but firm, then cool it under water. Salt the water for flavor.
- Prepare veggies: Chop peppers, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Grill or raw chop the corn.
- Mix salad: In a big bowl, combine pasta, veggies, corn, and beans.
- Make dressing: Mix olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and spices. Adjust the taste, adding more oil or vinegar as needed.
- Dress salad: Pour dressing over salad and toss.
- Serve: Mix in avocado last.
Mexican Pasta Salad Tips
- I suggest using small pasta. If the pasta has lots of ridges or lines, it’s even better! These textures help the sauce stick to the pasta better, so it doesn’t all just fall to the bottom of the bowl.
- Toss often. This Mexican pasta salad’s dressing can go to the bottom or soak into the pasta if it sits for a while. Keep stirring it and add more dressing little by little to keep the salad tasty.
- Wash the pasta with cold water. After draining it, rinse with cold water and mix it with a little bit of the dressing. This stops the pasta from sticking and makes it taste good with the dressing flavor.
- Add enough salt to the pasta water when you cook it; this is your only chance to make the pasta tasty by itself. If you don’t salt the pasta, the whole salad won’t taste as good. Usually, I put 1 teaspoon of salt in 4 cups of water, which means I use about 1 tablespoon of salt for the noodles in this Mexican Pasta Salad.
Storage
Make Ahead And Storage
- Make Ahead Of Time: You can make this salad ahead of time. If you do, put together all parts of the salad except the avocado and make the dressing. Keep the salad and dressing in different sealed containers in the refrigerator.
- When it’s time to eat, mix the salad with the dressing and then put in the avocado. Add the avocado right before eating to keep it fresh and green. If you have leftover salad, only put avocado in the part you’re going to eat now.
- Leftovers: Only combine salad and dressing for what will be enjoyed the same day. Leftovers of this salad don’t store well once dressed. The dressing gets absorbed into the pasta and also softens the veggies.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- BBQ Pasta Salad with some short-cuts to keep it simple
- Super popular Greek Pasta Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad with a creamy Italian dressing
- Simple and delicious Asian Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad with a creamy lemon dressing
Mexican Pasta Salad
This Mexican Pasta Salad starts with mini bowtie pasta and is loaded with veggies and black beans. A delicious chili-lime vinaigrette tops this salad.
Ingredients
- 3 cups mini farfalle/bowtie pasta, measured when dry
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup assorted sweet bell peppers, chopped (or just 1 bell pepper)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped, (~1/3 a bunch)
- 1 avocado, pit removed and chopped
Instructions
- PASTA: Cook 3 cups of pasta as directed on the package, salting the water (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups of water). If using frozen corn, add during the final minute of boiling. Drain, rinse in cold water, and let dry. Optional: toss the pasta in a few tablespoons of the dressing as it finishes cooling.
- FRESH CORN: If using fresh corn, either grill the corn (our favorite way) or cut the corn off the cob raw and add to salad (still delicious!). If grilling the corn, Note 1.
- VEGGIE PREP: Meanwhile, drain and rinse one cup of black beans. Chop/prepare all veggies.
- SALAD: Mix cooled pasta, corn, black beans, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add avocado (and only to what you are eating; don't add to any salad you have planned for leftovers).
- DRESSING: Mix all dressing ingredients in a resealable jar and shake. Gradually add to the salad, tossing to combine, and reserve some for refreshing the salad later if needed.
- MAKE AHEAD: Store mixed ingredients and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Combine when ready to serve, adding avocado last.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Preheat grill to 400°F. Shuck corn, remove silk, and coat with 1/2 teaspoon oil and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Grill, covered, turning every 3-5 minutes (check at 3 minutes, flipping 4 times total) for even charring, until crisp-tender. Cool slightly before cutting off the cob.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 2117mg | Potassium: 932mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3042IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This salad was easy and so flavorful! We will definitely make this again!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Colleen! 🙂
This was delicious. A very rrefreshing salad. I will definitely be making this again, maybe even adding some.chicken for a nice summer supper.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Sally! 🙂
If I prepped this the morning of an event, and it sat in the dressing for 5 hours would it still be ok? I’m afraid mixing right before would not give it enough time to meld.
I think if it sat for 5 hours, the dressing would get too absorbed into the pasta and seem a bit dry!
This was soooo good! The dressing is perfect with all the other ingredients. Thank you for a new addition to my top 10 list! 🙂
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Julie! 🙂
This is a delicious salad! Thank you for the great recipe. It was a hit with the family! I made minor adjustments of slightly less salt and extra black beans 🙂
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the comment 🙂
Can this be made the day before and left in the fridge overnight?
To make ahead: mix all the ingredients and the dressing separate. Store in airtight containers in the fridge and then combine when ready to eat. Add avocado last!
This salad looks incredible! And you take the most beautiful pictures. Can the rice vinegar be substituted? It’s the only vinegar I don’t have on hand.
I’d use cider vinegar in its place 🙂 Thanks Jen!
This was truly delish! The dressing is great and also a fabulous way to use leftover pasta! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome! So glad it was a hit 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight, it is delicious Chelsea! Love the dressing!
Hey Chrissy!! 🙂 SO happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!