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Mexican Pasta Salad

Mexican pasta salad with a creamy cilantro-lime dressing and a colorful mix of black beans, corn, peppers, and cherry tomatoes. This easy Tex-Mex salad gets tossed, then chilled for at least 2 hours for better flavor and texture.
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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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican pasta salad components
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta Use pasta shapes such as rotini or shells.
  • 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 pasta and make dressing
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to cool it quickly.
  2. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and evenly seasoned.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, black beans, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the cilantro-lime dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
  3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the pasta firms up slightly.
  4. Top with chopped cilantro right before serving for fresh color and aroma.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking and prevent a mushy texture in the salad. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the creamy dressing can separate. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt while keeping the sour cream or reducing it slightly.