Zesty Southwestern Pasta Salad

Brighten up your table with this refreshing and flavorful Zesty Southwestern Pasta Salad! Bursting with vibrant colors and bold flavors, this easy-to-make dish combines tender rotini pasta with hearty black beans, sweet corn, crisp bell peppers, and aromatic cilantro. Tossed in a zippy lime and olive oil dressing spiced with chili powder, cumin, and garlic, this pasta salad delivers a perfect balance of tangy, smoky, and savory notes. Ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for meal prep, picnics, or potlucks, this zesty dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a versatile side or light main that’s as satisfying as it is nutritious.

Nutriscore Rating: 79/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 ounces rotini pasta
• 15 ounces black beans
• 1 cup sweet corn (frozen or canned)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 0.5 red onion, finely chopped
• 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 lime, juiced
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Step 2

If using canned black beans, rinse and drain them thoroughly. If using frozen sweet corn, thaw and drain any excess water.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, black beans, sweet corn, diced red and green bell peppers, red onion, and chopped cilantro.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss well to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 6

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 7

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1481.2g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2479.7

Total Fat 69.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 9.3g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.3g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3036.8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 392.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 49.8g	0%
Total Sugars 40.2g
Protein 77.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 416.8mg	0%
Iron 23.3mg	0%
Potassium 2191.2mg	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: 25.1%

Protein: 12.4%

Carbs: 62.5%