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Mexican Pasta Salad

Mexican pasta salad with rotini, black beans, corn, peppers, and a creamy cilantro-lime dressing. Chilled for at least 2 hours so the shells soak up flavor, then finished with fresh cilantro for a bright, taco-salad vibe.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rotini or shells pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta Dry pasta
  • salt and pepper to taste Seasoning for dressing and pasta water per taste
Vegetables and mix-ins
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels Fresh, frozen, or canned and drained
  • 1 1 red bell pepper Diced
  • 1 1 green bell pepper Diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion Diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese Shredded
Creamy cilantro-lime dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain it and rinse with cold water to cool it quickly and stop cooking.
Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the pasta and vegetables are fully coated.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the salad firms up.
Serve
  1. Top the Mexican pasta salad with chopped cilantro right before serving for a fresh, bright finish.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water so it doesn’t keep cooking and turn mushy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the salad is not ideal for freezing because the creamy dressing can separate. For a lighter option, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to keep it tangy while reducing richness.