Go Back

Mexican Pasta Salad

Mexican pasta salad with a creamy cilantro-lime dressing and hearty mix-ins like black beans, corn, peppers, and cheddar. Chilled for 2 hours so the pasta stays tender and the flavors meld for a vibrant fiesta-salad feel.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
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 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper 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
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to the package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta from clumping.
Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, black beans, corn kernels, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Add shredded cheddar cheese on top so it distributes as you toss.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece looks evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors set and the pasta absorbs the dressing.
Serve
  1. Top the chilled pasta salad with chopped cilantro right before serving. Serve cold and keep any leftovers refrigerated.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water and keep it fully cooled before mixing—this prevents a gummy texture. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 3 days (best flavor after the first 24 hours); freezing is not recommended. For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt in place of some or all sour cream to reduce richness while keeping the tangy cilantro-lime dressing.