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Mexican Fiesta Pasta Salad Recipe

Mexican Fiesta Pasta Salad Recipe Ready in 15 Minutes

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This Mexican Fiesta Pasta Salad is a bold, crowd-pleasing dish packed with rotini pasta, black beans, corn, olives, and a creamy salsa dressing. It comes together fast and tastes even better after chilling. Perfect for potlucks, cookouts, or a quick weeknight side.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes (including 1 hour chilling time)
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups medium chunky salsa
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (11 ounce) can whole-kernel corn with red and green bell peppers
  • 1 (4.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
  • 2 green onions, sliced thinly
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro, or to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Gather all ingredients before you start.
  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Stir in the rotini pasta and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
  3. While the pasta cooks, combine the salsa, mayonnaise, sour cream, and chopped red bell pepper in a large bowl. Add the black beans, corn, olives, green onions, salt, garlic powder, cumin, cilantro, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
  4. Drain the cooked pasta. Rinse it under cold running water until completely cooled, then drain thoroughly.
  5. Add the cooled pasta to the salsa and vegetable mixture. Stir until the pasta is evenly coated.
  6. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled before serving for best results.

Notes

  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking and prevent clumping.
  • Chilling the salad for at least 1 hour before serving lets the flavors develop fully.
  • You can swap mayonnaise for a lighter version or Greek yogurt to cut calories.
  • Use hot salsa if you prefer more heat in your dressing.
  • This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Stir the salad before serving if it has been sitting in the fridge, as the dressing may thicken slightly.
  • Author: Emily Frost
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Salad, Side Dish
  • Method: Boiling, No-Cook Dressing
  • Cuisine: Mexican-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 380 kcal
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 720 mg
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 8 g
  • Cholesterol: 15 mg

Find it online: https://www.frostyrecipes.com/mexican-fiesta-pasta-salad-recipe/