Tired of plain ole Pasta Salad? Then give this Taco Pasta Salad a try. It packs a kick! The perfect side dish for those summer BBQ’s.
What is nice about this particular pasta salad recipe is that it does not use any mayonnaise so it will be a little healthier for you.
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The spices used in this recipe give this pasta salad that Mexican food flavor profile. Ground Cumin can be a bit overpowering at times so if you want to tone it down a bit I would suggest cutting the cumin in half.
I always forget this delicious recipe when I am making side dishes for our parties. I seriously need to make a note to remind myself to make this one more often. It really is a great salad and the perfect side dish for your next BBQ.
What is Al Dente
When making pasta, it’s important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term “al dente”, it means cooking the pasta so it’s still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
Make sure you check out my collection of Salad Recipes while you are at it. One of my personal favorites is my California Pasta Salad and so is my Delicious Macaroni Salad.
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Taco Pasta Salad recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Pasta, Corn, Lime Juice, Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Ground Black Pepper, Garlic Cloves, Olive Oil, Salsa, Black Beans, Roma Tomato, Fresh Cilantro and Mexican Blend Cheese.
How to Make Taco Pasta Salad
- In a large pot, boil salted water and cook bowtie pasta al dente according to package directions. During the last 3 minutes, add the corn. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, pepper, garlic, olive oil and salsa with a whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the pasta, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.
Taco Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Bow Tie Pasta
- 2 Cups Frozen Corn
- 4 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
- 2 Tsp Chili Powder
- ¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Salsa
- 15 oz Black Beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 Roma Tomatoes, diced
- ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- 2 Cups Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil salted water and cook bowtie pasta al dente according to package directions. During the last 3 minutes, add the corn. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, pepper, garlic, olive oil and salsa with a whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the pasta, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.
This taco pasta salad is great. I only used 1 teaspoons of chili powder instead of the 2 in the recipe as my family is not a fan of chili powder. It turned out delicious and very tasty, and they loved it. It was a perfect taco salad.