Mexican Pasta Salad
This Mexican Pasta Salad combines tender rotini, sweet corn, black beans, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, and a bold chili-lime dressing for a crowd-pleasing dish that's ready in 30 minutes and perfect for potlucks, cookouts, and meal prep.
Equipment
- Large pot - For cooking pasta
- Colander - For draining and rinsing pasta
- Large mixing bowl - For assembling the salad
- Medium bowl - For whisking the dressing
- Whisk or fork - For combining dressing ingredients
- Sharp knife and cutting board - For prepping vegetables
- Citrus juicer - For squeezing the limes
- Airtight storage container - For refrigerating leftovers
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta - 340 g
- 1 cup canned corn - 160 g, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans - 15 oz / 425 g, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - 150 g, halved
- 1 medium red bell pepper - diced
- 1 small red onion - finely diced
- 2 medium avocados - diced
- 1 medium jalapeño - seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - 20 g, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese - 75 g, crumbled
- 3 green onions - thinly sliced
For the Chili-Lime Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil - 80 ml
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice - 45 ml, about 2 limes
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini or fusilli and cook according to package directions until al dente, aiming for the lower end of the suggested cook time.
- Reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and immediately run cold water over it for 60 to 90 seconds until completely cooled. Shake the colander well to remove excess water.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, honey, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified. Set aside.
- Dice the red bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño into small uniform pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the green onions, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Drain and rinse the canned corn and black beans through a fine-mesh colander. Dice the avocados last, right before assembling, and toss with a few drops of lime juice to prevent browning.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the corn, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño, tossing gently to distribute evenly.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes and sliced green onions, folding them in carefully. Pour the chili-lime dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly from the bottom up until everything is coated.
- Gently fold in the diced avocado, crumbled Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro, stirring lightly to keep the avocado pieces intact.
- Taste and adjust with additional lime juice, salt, or a drizzle of olive oil if needed. If the salad seems dry, loosen it with a small amount of reserved pasta water.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Give it a gentle toss, garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges, and serve chilled.
Notes
- Undercook the pasta slightly — it will absorb moisture from the dressing as it sits, so starting firmly al dente prevents it from turning soft.
- Make the dressing first so you can pour it over the pasta the moment it's cooled, helping the noodles absorb flavor while still slightly porous.
- If making this more than a few hours ahead, add the avocado right before serving to prevent browning and softening.
- Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop cooking immediately and remove surface starch that would cause clumping.
- The dressing should taste slightly too salty and too tangy when tasted alone — it balances perfectly once it coats the pasta and vegetables.
- Let the salad rest at least 30 minutes, but 1 to 2 hours is even better. It tastes even better the next day.
- Use fresh lime juice rather than bottled for the brightest, most aromatic flavor — the dressing is built around that lime flavor.
- Make it creamy by stirring 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt into the dressing.
- Swap Cotija for crumbled feta if Cotija isn't available, or omit it and swap honey for agave syrup to make it vegan.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze or reheat — this is a cold pasta salad.