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A close up picture of the finished Mexican Pasta Salad recipe in a wooden serving bowl.
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5 from 5 votes

Mexican Pasta Salad

This Mexican Pasta Salad can be made as a main dish or side dish. It’s loaded with toppings and has a delicious creamy cilantro dressing. It’s perfect for summertime when you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: main dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cilantro, corn, pasta salad
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 338kcal
Cost: $13.89

Equipment

  • food processor or blender
  • cutting board
  • chef's knife
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • large mixing bowl
  • Colander
  • large pot
  • tongs

Ingredients

PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 16 oz Cellentani Pasta or another spiral shape
  • 2 cups frozen corn thawed
  • 3 cups grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 Avocados diced
  • 1 cup red onion diced
  • 2 cups Queso Fresco crumbled
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING:

  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • ½ cup Lime juice

Instructions

COOK PASTA:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Strain and place in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the salad.

COOK CORN:

  • Put a large skillet (a cast iron, preferably) on the stove on high heat. Add the corn into the dry skillet and stir occasionally until the outside of the corn is charred, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

MAKE CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING:

  • In a food processor or blender, add all of the dressing ingredients and blend until completely smooth.

MIX TOGETHER PASTA SALAD:

  • In a large serving bowl, add the cooked pasta and the remaining pasta salad ingredients.
  • Pour the creamy cilantro dressing on top.
  • Use tongs to toss the pasta salad to evenly distribute all ingredients.
  • Serve and enjoy or chill until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

  • Can also use cherry tomatoes in place of grape tomatoes
  • Feta or Cotija cheese are good substitutions in place of Queso Fresco.
  • The queso fresco is a bit milder than both of those options.
  • Feel free to add one jalapeno to the dressing if you want your dressing to be spicy.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg