Southwest Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote

Tossed in avocado lime dressing, this southwest pasta salad is a mix of grilled corn, black beans, red peppers, tomatoes, radishes and scallions.

Prep Time15

Cook Time17

Total Time32

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Servings: Serves 6

Author: Paige Adams

Ingredients

For salad

8 ounces fusilli pasta
3 ears corn
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-15 ounce black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, diced
4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

For dressing

1 ripe avocado
1 garlic clove
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill on high heat.
While the grill heats up, cook the fusilli in salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water in a colander.
Rub the corn with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 5-7 minutes. Let the corn cool slightly before slicing the kernels off the cobs.
For the dressing, puree the avocado, garlic, lime juice, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil in a food processor or blender until smooth.
In a large bowl, stir the dressing into the cooked pasta. Then fold in the corn, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, scallions and 1/4 cup cilantro leaves.

Video

Notes

You can use fusilli or rotini pasta.

It won't have the same grilled flavor, but you can use canned corn or thawed frozen corn. You will need about 2 to 2-1/2 cups.

The pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Since they dressing has avocados, it will brown the longer it sits.

Optional additions include:
Cheese such as grated cheddar, crumbled feta or cotija cheese
Black olives
Roasted or grilled chicken or shrimp

Nutrition