Keep the inspired pasta salads going with this delicious Greek pasta salad recipe or this pasta salad with Italian dressing. This Mexican pasta salad is the perfect mix of contrasting flavors and textures, making it interesting with every bite. The dressing is perfect – the trick is to make it a tad salty on its own so once it melds with the pasta and veggies, it balances out, adding a flavor fiesta. It’s a crowd-pleasing dish with crisp vegetables, hearty black beans, and the creamy kick of chipotle lime dressing!
Pasta: Use a short pasta, like fusilli. You can also use your favorite gluten-free pasta – we like chickpea pasta. Other ingredients: Add bursts of flavor with sweet corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, hearty black beans, zesty red onion, fragrant cilantro, crisp green pepper, and creamy avocado. Chipotle lime dressing: Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice, avocado oil, adobo sauce, oregano, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic clove come together to make a creamy dressing with a touch of smoky heat and a tang of lime. It’s delicious!
This dressing is made with freshly squeezed lime juice, chipotle sauce, garlic, a little oregano, and thick Greek yogurt. To make this a vegan pasta salad, simply use your favorite vegan yogurt or vegan mayo in place of the Greek yogurt. One thing to note is that if you try this dressing before pouring it over the pasta salad, it’ll taste too salty – but we promise it’ll work! The reason why is that the dressing needs to be salty enough to season all of the pasta and veggies you throw in. Once you pour it on and toss it around, you’ll find that it’s perfectly balanced.
Add a protein: Bulk out your pasta salad by making some protein. Add bite sized pieces of your favorite protein. Add Mexican chicken, chili lime shrimp, chimichurri steak bites, tofu, or bacon. Other veggies: Add some roasted red bell pepper or diced cucumber for extra freshness. Roasted sweet potato cubes add a hearty sweetness. Pasta: Mix up the type of pasta – use penne, farfelle, bowtie, elbow macaroni, or gemelli. Swap it out for your favorite gluten-free pasta if needed. Sliced olives: Briny black olives provide a contrasting depth of flavor. Fresh herbs: Throw in some additional herbs to keep it really fresh, like parsley. Spicy: Play with the spice level by using more or less jalapeño, or by adjusting the amount of adobo in the dressing. You can also throw in a sprinkle of chili flakes if you like extra spice. Dressing: Swap out the dressing for another dressing of your preference. Cilantro lime ranch tastes great on pasta salad! Corn chips: Crumbled corn chips or tortilla strips can add a satisfying crunch and a hint of corn flavor to each bite. Cheese: Add cubed pepper jack, monterrey, or a sharp cheddar.
It works beside any Mexican inspired mains like grilled steak tacos, green chicken enchiladas, or sweet potato nachos.
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