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Southwest Pasta Salad

Savory Southwest Pasta Salad for Summer BBQs and Picnics

Discover a colorful and customizable Southwest Pasta Salad, perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Southwestern
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

For the Salad Base
  • 8 ounces Rotini Pasta or medium-sized noodles
  • 1 can Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Corn fresh preferred
  • 1 medium Bell Pepper any color
  • 1 medium Red Onion or yellow onion
  • 1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro optional
  • 1 cup Grilled Chicken or chickpeas/tofu for vegetarian option
For the Dressing
  • 1 cup Chipotle Ranch Dressing or regular ranch

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Colander
  • Mixing Bowl
  • knife
  • Spatula

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  2. While the pasta cooks, drain and rinse the black beans, dice the bell pepper and red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop cilantro, and slice grilled chicken.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and chicken.
  4. Drizzle the chipotle ranch dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine.
  5. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 15gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2000IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Customize with your favorite veggies and proteins. Best served chilled.

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