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Home » Recipes » Side Dish Recipes

Tex Mex Pasta Salad

Published: May 24, 2022 Last Updated: May 24, 2022 by Marye 692 words. | About 4 minutes to read this article.

Pasta, black beans, fire roasted corn, poblano, and other classic Tex-Mex flavors come together in this unique and delicious black bean pasta  salad. You can make it up to 2 days ahead of time.
Total time 2 hours 25 minutes
Jump to Recipe

Texas shaped pasta make this easy summer side dish delicious and fun but any small pasta can be used.

Close up of Tex-Mex pasta salad.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love it
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📖 Variations
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 📞 The last word
  • Tex Mex Pasta Salad

❤️ Why you'll love it

  • Fresh Tex-Mex flavors.
  • Quick and easy.
  • Unique pasta salad that everyone goes crazy over.

Fresh cilantro, cherry tomatoes, fire roasted corn, and black beans are mixed with a creamy chipotle and lime dressing that will wake up your tastebuds with a pop of flavor.

🥫 Storage

Cover tightly with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

This southwestern pasta salad recipe does not freeze well.

📖 Variations

  • Turn this Tex Mex pasta into a hearty main dish by adding grilled chicken or steak.
  • You can use any kind of small pasta you like - farfalle (bow tie pasta), shells, or rotini work well, too.
  • Black olives are delicious in this easy side dish.
  • I love to add red onions to this!
  • Top the finished salad with green onions for a little more color.
A closeup of pasta on a plate.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: The salad will taste even better if you chill it for and at least an hour (overnight is even better) to allow the flavors to blend.

  • Cook your pasta according to package directions - a little past the al dente stage.
  • Don't rinse the pasta, just drain it.
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil if it starts sticking together.
  • Don't be afraid to use more chipotle if you like your foods to have a little more kick.
  • Salt the pasta water!
  • Let the pasta cool completely before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

What kind of beans can you put in Pasta Salad?

Black beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans are all good in southwest pasta salad.

Can I make black bean pasta salad vegan?

Sure! Leave out the bacon and cheese and use a vegan mayonnaise for a delicious vegan version of this salad.

📚 Related recipes

  • This Italian pasta salad is great for summer because there's no mayonnaise so you don't have to worry as much about it going bad in the heat.
  • Macaroni salad is a classic for summer!
  • BBQ Macaroni salad may not be a classic but it is delicious!
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  • Closeup of a fluffy, creamy pineapple dessert in a glass bowl.
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🍽️ Serve with...

This black bean pasta salad recipe is delicious as a main dish or serve with:

  • BBQ chicken breast wrapped in bacon or these juicy burgers!
  • Soft garlicky breadsticks are always yummy!
  • A creamy, no bake pineapple pie is the perfect dessert.

📞 The last word

This is a great recipe for summer!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Closeup of black bean pasta salad.
5 from 2 votes

Tex Mex Pasta Salad

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Pasta, black beans, fire roasted corn, poblano, and other classic Tex-Mex flavors come together in this unique and delicious black bean pasta  salad. You can make it up to 2 days ahead of time.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southwestern,Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings:12 servings
Calories:383
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

  • 12 ounces pasta, cooked and drained - don't rinse
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled. Fat reserved
  • 2 cups Fire Roasted Corn, drained if canned
  • 1 ½ cups black beans, about 1 can - drained
  • ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced (fire roasted optional)
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
  • 3 ounces queso fresco, crumbled

Creamy Tex Mex Dressing

  • 2 tablesoons chipotle in adobo
  • 1 teasoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • lime zest, from one lime
  • Salt and pepper

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Pasta Salad

  • Gently toss all pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 1 ounce or so of the queso fresco.
  • Spoon the dressing over and mix gently.
  • Add reserved queso fresco to the top of the salad.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Creamy Tex Mex Dressing

  • Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning.

Notes

To Fire Roast Poblano:
Use a plumber's torch to roast the outside skin of the poblano until blackened and blistered. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 20.4mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.5mg

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    First published July 31 2017. Last updated May 24, 2022 for readability.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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