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+ servings
A bowl filled with colorful pasta, fresh vegetables, and a creamy dressing.

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
A vibrant Tex-Mex Pasta Salad featuring rotini pasta, black beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, and a creamy taco-seasoned dressing. Ideal for gatherings and casual meals.
12 Servings

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 1 pound fusilli or rotini pasta
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • ½ red onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 avocado diced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced (optional)

For the Dressing:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup salsa
  • 1 1-ounce packet taco seasoning mix
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Prepare the Pasta:

  1. In a large stockpot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli or rotini pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Combine Salad Ingredients:

  1. Add the rinsed and drained black beans, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and minced jalapeño (if using) to the bowl with the cooled pasta. Gently toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Prepare the Dressing:

  1. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, salt, and pepper until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.

Assemble the Salad:

  1. Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently until all the ingredients are well coated with the dressing.

Chill and Serve:

  1. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Prior to serving, stir the salad gently and garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Notes

To prepare a gluten-free version of this Tex-Mex Pasta Salad, substitute the fusilli or rotini pasta with a certified gluten-free pasta made from rice, corn, or legumes. Additionally, verify that the taco seasoning mix and salsa are labeled gluten-free, as some brands may contain gluten additives or cross-contaminants.
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