Description
A quick, 15-minute weeknight dinner featuring rotini pasta, black beans, corn, and a zesty lime-cilantro dressing. This light, vibrant pasta salad is perfect for hot days and can be made ahead for even better flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) Rotini or Penne pasta
- Water and salt for boiling pasta
- 1 can (15 oz / 425g) Black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup (150g) Frozen corn
- 1 medium Red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small Jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
- ¼ cup Red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup (120ml) Extra virgin olive oil
- 3–4 tablespoons Fresh lime juice
- ½ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: ½ cup Feta or Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Optional: 1 Avocado, diced
- Optional: 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with cold water; let it drain for a minute to remove excess water while staying warm.
- While pasta cooks, prep vegetables: dice red bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño. Rinse and drain black beans thoroughly.
- In a mason jar or small bowl, combine olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Place warm pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño.
- Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything.
- Serve immediately, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and meld flavors.
- Before serving, adjust seasoning if needed and top with optional cheese, avocado, or extra cilantro.
Notes
[‘Do not rinse the pasta with cold water; warm pasta absorbs the dressing better.’, ‘Rinse canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and starch.’, ‘This salad tastes better after resting in the fridge for a few hours as flavors meld.’, ‘Add avocado right before serving to prevent browning.’, ‘Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze.’, ‘If the salad becomes dry after storage, stir in a splash of lime juice or water before serving.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Southwest
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 10
Keywords: pasta salad, southwest recipe, black bean salad, corn salad, quick dinner, weeknight meals, vegetarian pasta, make ahead salad, healthy pasta salad, lime cilantro dressing