Go Back

Mexican Pasta Salad

Mexican pasta salad with a creamy cilantro-lime dressing, packed with black beans, corn, peppers, and melty cheddar. Rotini is cooked, rinsed cool for the right bite, then chilled for a fiesta-ready taco salad vibe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and chill the base
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to cool it quickly and stop cooking.
  2. Spread the pasta on a sheet pan in an even layer to cool completely before mixing.
  3. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the dressing thickens slightly.
Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined.
Assemble and finish
  1. Combine pasta, black beans, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat so every bite is lightly covered.
  3. Top with chopped cilantro right before serving for fresh color and aroma.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinsing the pasta with cold water keeps the salad from turning gummy after chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the texture softens slightly over time (best within 48–72 hours). Freezing isn’t recommended because mayo/sour cream can break. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and low-fat sour cream to reduce calories while keeping the creamy cilantro-lime dressing.