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Southwest Pasta Salad

Refreshing Southwest Pasta Salad You’ll Love This Summer

This Southwest Pasta Salad is a vibrant blend of rotini pasta, fresh veggies, and grilled chicken, perfect for summer meals.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Southwestern
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 8 oz Rotini Pasta the best base for a hearty salad
  • 1 can Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Corn canned, fresh, or frozen
  • 1 each Bell Pepper any color adds freshness
  • 1/2 each Red Onion can substitute with green onions
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro can substitute with parsley
  • 2 cups Grilled Chicken optional for vegetarian, try tofu
For the Dressing
  • 1 cup Chipotle Ranch Dressing or any ranch dressing of your choice

Equipment

  • large pot
  • colander
  • mixing bowl
  • knife
  • cutting board

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water.
  2. While the pasta cools, chop the fresh vegetables and proteins. Drain and rinse the black beans and corn. Dice the bell pepper and red onion, slice the cherry tomatoes, and chop the cilantro. If using grilled chicken, dice it.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rotini pasta, black beans, sweet corn, diced bell pepper, red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. Toss gently to combine.
  4. Pour the chipotle ranch dressing over the salad mixture. Stir gently to coat all the ingredients with the dressing.
  5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Serve chilled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 25gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 10mg

Notes

Customize with your favorite vegetables or proteins. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

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