Quick and easy southwest pasta salad is oil-free and packed with flavor! It's the perfect vegan pasta salad recipe for cookouts and picnics.
Table of Contents
This southwest pasta salad was a last-minute pantry recipe that I whipped up for a school potluck many, many years ago. It was such a hit that I knew I had to share it with y'all.
Since then, I've brought this vegan, oil-free pasta salad to quite a few parties and picnics, and it's such a hit! I've tweaked the recipe a bit and am so excited to share it with you today!
Ingredients and substitutions
- pasta - I'm using rotini pasta, because I like how the sauce clings to it so well. You can use other pasta shapes, though, like macaroni.
- corn - Fresh corn kernels definitely make this dish extra special, but you can use frozen or canned corn instead, if that's easier for you.
- black beans - Cooked black beans add protein and bulk out this dish. Feel free to use other cooked, drained beans instead, like kidney or pinto beans.
- green onion - A little crunch and umami power here! You can use minced red or sweet onion instead, if needed.
- garlic powder, cumin, coriander, chipotle chili powder - These spices boost the flavor! Depending on the salsa you use, you may want to add a smidge more or less of the spices. Salsas can vary so much in flavor.
- lime juice - Brings some acidity and extra flavor. You may need to add more, to taste, depending on your salsa.
- salsa - Choose your favorite salsa as the base for this recipe! The salsa is the pasta salad sauce and adds a lot of flavor, so go with a good one that you'd eat with chips.
- avocado - Because who doesn't love avocado?
- hot sauce - You may or may not need hot sauce, depending on the salsa you use and how spicy you want the pasta salad to be.
How to make southwest pasta salad
Prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain. While the water boils and the pasta cooks, prep the rest of the ingredients.
Add all of the ingredients, except for the hot sauce, to a large mixing bowl. Toss well to combine.
Taste and adjust the flavor, if needed, by adding more garlic powder, lime juice, chipotle powder, and hot sauce.
I went conservative on the spices and lime juice, because you can always add more, but you can't take away. What you'll need to add depends on the salsa you chose to use.
Once you have the pasta salad seasoned to your liking, cover and chill until you're ready to serve - up to overnight.
Cover and chill until you're ready to serve - up to overnight.
Helpful tips
- Choose a salsa that you really love! It's the base for the pasta salad sauce, so pick one that you'd be happy to dip your chips into.
- This is a great make-ahead dish! You can make it a day or even two days in advance. The flavors just get better with time!
- If you're making this in advance, chop and add the avocado just before serving, to prevent browning.
Storage directions
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge. This recipe does not freeze.
Leftovers will keep for three to five days, but know that the avocado will start to brown the longer it sits. Depending on how much lime juice you used, it may not brown until day two or be brown the very next day.
Frequently asked questions
Pasta salad is incredibly flexible. You can make the dressing so many ways! This southwest pasta salad uses salsa, lime juice, and spices for the dressing.
Other pasta salads use dressings like mayo, salad dressing, yogurt, or even peanut sauce.
That depends a lot on your dressing, the other ingredients in the salad, and how long it sat out unrefrigerated. In general, it keeps from three to five days.
More cookout and party faves!
📖 Recipe
Southwest Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry rotini pasta
- 2 ears corn raw or cooked (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed)
- 15 ounce can black beans rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans)
- ¼ cup minced green onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon mild chipotle chili powder or more or less, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or more, to taste
- 1 cup your favorite salsa homemade or store-bought is fine
- 1 Haas avocado diced (If you're making this in advance, don't chop the avocado until the day-of.)
- hot sauce to taste, optional (depends on your salsa choice and how spicy you like your food)
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain. While the water boils and the pasta cooks, prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Add all of the ingredients, except for the hot sauce, to a large mixing bowl. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust the flavor, if needed, by adding more garlic powder, lime juice, chipotle powder, and hot sauce. I went conservative on the spices and lime juice, because you can always add more, but you can't take away. What you'll need to add depends on the salsa you chose to use. Once it's seasoned to your liking, cover and chill until you're ready to serve - up to overnight.
Ricki
Such a great idea! This is really hitting home with me right now, as I stare out the window at ice and snow. . . on APRIL 16TH!!!! Could definitely use a dose of springtime, and a big bowl of that salad, right now!
Dianne
I loves me some pasta salad! You've included so many of my favorite ingredients in this one. I'm looking forward to trying it!
Sarah De la Cruz
We made this for dinner last night! Super easy to put together, and my kids both had seconds. My big kid has it packed in his lunchbox for school today! I liked how this recipe was really easy to make, and easy to adapt to what you had on hand. We had kidney beans in the cupboard, so I used those. YUM!
Mary Ellen
This looks like such a tasty option for lunch. I really wish spring was coming here to the northeast but I still don't have it in sight!