Sherri's Picante Pasta Salad

Bursting with bold Tex-Mex flavors, Sherri's Picante Pasta Salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for potlucks, barbecues, or quick weeknight meals. This vibrant dish features tender rotini pasta tossed with zesty picante sauce, lime juice, and a hint of cumin, delivering a tangy kick in every bite. Loaded with colorful cherry tomatoes, black beans, sweet corn, red bell pepper, and fresh cilantro, it’s a wholesome medley of textures and flavors. Topped with shredded cheddar cheese and chilled to perfection, this pasta salad is as refreshing as it is satisfying. Ready in just 30 minutes of prep and cook time, this easy-to-make recipe is perfect served cold or at room temperature. Whether you're looking for a vegetarian main or a flavorful side, this dish promises to be the star of the table!

Nutriscore Rating: 76/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 0.5 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup bottled picante sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, rinse and drain the black beans (if using canned), and prepare the remaining vegetables by dicing the red bell pepper and slicing the green onions.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk together the picante sauce, lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.

Step 6

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, give the salad another gentle toss and garnish with extra cilantro if desired.

Step 7

Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1787.1g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2564.7

Total Fat 77.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 29.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.7g
Cholesterol 120mg	0%
Sodium 3523.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 379.9g	0%
Dietary Fiber 44.1g	0%
Total Sugars 51.2g
Protein 95.9g	0%

Vitamin D 24IU	0%
Calcium 1224.0mg	0%
Iron 23.8mg	0%
Potassium 3399.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 26.7%

Protein: 14.8%

Carbs: 58.5%