Southwest Taco Pasta Salad

Southwest Taco Pasta Salad

This is a salad that I created on a 95 degree day. I cooked the pasta in the morning and chopped up the vegetables and put it all in the refrigerator to chill until a half hour before dinner.







The salad is ideal when you know its going to be a really hot day. It could easily be prepared the night before and the dressing added just before serving.

I really try to limit my meat intake and the Southwest Taco Pasta Salad is meat free yet filling.  It has black beans, cheese and pasta which all are a great source of protein. 

Here's what you came for....the recipe! 😋

Southwest Taco Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

16 oz  box  rotini cooked and cooled

1 can of organic corn drained

2 medium tomatoes diced

1 sweet onion diced

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 small can sliced black olives drained

8 oz colby-jack cheese cubed and reserved

Dressing:

1/4 C fresh parsley chopped

2 green onions chopped

1/2 C mayonaise

1/4 C Lemon Juice 

1/4 C French Dressing

1 packet of taco seasoning

Optional:

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Preparation:

Combine cooled pasta, corn, onion, tomatoes, black beans,  black olives in a large bowl and chill until 1/2 hour before serving.  

Dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice and french dressing and taco seasoning, add parsley and green onions.

Combine dressing, reserved cheese and pasta mixture together.  

Top each serving with guacamole and sour cream if desired.

Serves 6-8