We love pasta and that includes pasta salads. This pasta salad is the perfect quick and easy go-to side for lunch, dinner, a summer potluck, or BBQ. Inspired by one of our favorite pasta salads from a local specialty market, this southwest pasta salad is a little spicy and extra creamy. Like our BLT pasta salad and Caprese pasta salad, it’s perfect for summer get-togethers.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This southwest pasta salad recipe could not be any simpler to prepare and is a great side to chicken or beef.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Pasta: Any short pasta, such as Penne, Rigatoni, Farfalle, Bowtie, or Orecchiette, will work for this pasta salad.
- Roasted Corn: You can grill your corn, but we made it easy with some store-bought roasted corn in the freezer section of our local Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find roasted corn, substitute it with frozen or canned corn. If using canned corn, make sure to drain and rinse it.
- Black Beans: Use canned beans, drained and rinsed well. You can substitute pinto or kidney beans if you do not like black beans.
- Tomatoes: Choose a cherry or grape-sized tomato and cut it in half or quarters so they are bite-sized. In addition to fresh tomatoes, we use sun-dried tomatoes for their intense sweet-tart flavor. Try to find sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, but if that is all you can find, drain them and pat off excess oil with a paper towel before chopping.
- Mini Peppers and Jalapenos: We prefer mini dulce peppers over bell peppers, but they can be easily substituted. Be careful with your jalapeno peppers. Sometimes they are hot, and sometimes not. We remove the seeds and inner veins (or placenta) just in case.
- Black Olives: For some additional salty flavor, we include a few chopped black olives, but if you are not a fan of olives, you can leave them out.
- Hot Sauce: We used one of our new favorites, Guajillo & Red Jalapeno Hot Sauce from Humble House, for this recipe. It is a tangy garlic-flavored sauce. It is similar to sriracha but without all the harsh vinegar taste or heat. You can substitute your favorite hot sauce but adjust the quantity based on the brand, type, and personal preference.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: These are smoked and dried jalapenos rehydrated and canned in a puree of vinegar, garlic, tomato, and spices. Just like raw jalapenos, chipotles can range in heat. They give the sauce a deep smokey flavor that shouldn’t be skipped, so regulate the amount based on your tastes.
- Cojita Cheese: This crumbly salty cheese can be purchased as a block or pre-grated. The pre-grated is similar to an Italian grated cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano and is great as a topping on enchiladas, elote (Mexican street corn), salads, and so many other dishes. In a pinch, you can substitute some grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
How to Make Southwest Pasta Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing
Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: Add a little grilled chicken to turn this pasta salad into a complete meal.
1. Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta until it is al dente, following the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy dressing.
2. Creamy Chipotle Dressing: In a small bowl, blend the mayonnaise, sour cream, hot sauce, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, and salt using an immersion blender. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
3. Prepare the Southwest Pasta Salad: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, roasted corn, canned black beans, sundried tomatoes, mini peppers, green onion, black olives, and jalapenos. Toss to combine, then add the creamy dressing and toss to coat the ingredients evenly. Next, add cotija cheese, cilantro, and parsley, and give a final gentle toss to combine
4. Chill and Serve: Chill the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with additional cilantro, parsley, jalapenos, and scallions, then serve. We recommend serving it with our grilled marinated flank steak or baked BBQ boneless chicken thighs.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Rinse the pasta after draining it to cool it down and prevent overcooking.
- If you want to tone down some heat in the dressing, add the adobo sauce, but don’t add a whole chipotle pepper.
- Southwest pasta salad is best when served cold. Be sure to chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
More BBQ Side Dishes To Try
Looking for more side dishes for your next BBQ or outside get-together? Try these other favorites:
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw – This traditional BBQ side is made from fresh ingredients; this quick and easy recipe comes together in just a few minutes.
- BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing – Loaded with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It’s everything you love about a BLT sandwich, but as a pasta salad. Coated in a creamy avocado ranch dressing, this pasta salad is easy and delicious.
- Texas Caviar (aka Cowboy Caviar) – This cold bean side is loaded with black-eyed peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and peppers. It is the perfect side dish or appetizer.
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Southwest Pasta Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing
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Equipment
- Immersion Blender
- Large Bowl
- Large Saucepan (4 Quarts)
- Pasta Strainer
Ingredients
Creamy Dressing
- 1.5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1.5 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon guajillo and jalapeno hot sauce, see notes
- 1 chipotle peppers in adobo
- ½ teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pasta Salad
- 7 ounces dried short pasta, such as bowtie
- 2 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
- 3 ounces roasted corn
- 3 ounces canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ ounce sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1.5 ounces mini peppers, diced
- 1 green onion, diced
- 1 ounce black olives, drained of juices
- 1 ounce jalapenos seeds removed
- 1 ounce cojita cheese, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large saucepan cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well to cool.
- While pasta is cooking create the creamy dressing. Using an immersion blender blend the mayonnaise, sour cream, hot sauce, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, and salt in a small bowl. Blend until smooth then set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the pasta, tomatoes, roasted corn, canned black beans, sundried tomatoes, mini peppers, green onion, black olives, and jalapenos. Toss to combine then add the creamy dressing and toss to coat ingredients evenly. Add cojita cheese, cilantro, and parsley, and give a final gentle toss to combine
- Chill pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with additional cilantro, parsley, and scallions then serve.
