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Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
With the flavors of so many different vegetables and a rich, creamy sauce, Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad is delightful. You receive a blend of pleasure with each bite thanks to the flavors of crispy corn, crisp fresh red and green pepper, creamy black beans, and hot jalapeno.
Whether you refer to it as macaroni salad or pasta salad, this meal is well-liked and has been in some form for a very long time. The salad may have been created by Germans in the 1800s, despite the fact that Italians are generally credited with creating pasta. It took until 1914 for the delectable meal to appear in American cookbooks.
The nicest thing to ever happen to pasta is this spaghetti salad. In fact, it might also be the greatest development in the history of salads in general. It can be served warm, cold, at room temperature, with ranch dressing, or without. This delicious combination of noodles, vegetables, and tastes is delicious even without any dressing.
See our Chicken Fajita Pasta Dish
How to serve:
Serve this southwest pasta salad as a hearty appetizer, snack, or a full entree. You can add or omit any of the ingredients to make it your own. This is the perfect side dish for a summer BBQ, dinner tonight, or lunch tomorrow. The longer it chills the more scrumptious it tastes.
What is the best pasta for this salad?
The type of pasta you choose does matter, believe it or not. You want pasta with short, simple-to-eat noodles and pasta with nooks and crannies where the sauce may hide, intensifying the flavor. We enjoy rotini, cavatappi, penne, macaroni, and noodles. Farfalle and fusilli are other excellent options.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta (macaroni or shell pasta)
- 15 ounces can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1-pint grape tomatoes (halved)
- 15 ounces can sweet corn (drained and rinsed)
- 1 red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1 yellow or green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1 small red onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup black olives (drained and sliced)
- 2 jalapeños (seeded and diced)
- 1 cup Mexican cheese (shredded)
Dressing:
- 1 cup creamy ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and once boiling cook pasta according to the package instructions, aiming for al dente. Then drain and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad and add them to a large bowl.
- In another bowl combine the dressing ingredients, mix, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooled pasta and the dressing to the salad bowl and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- When serving garnish with more shredded Mexican cheese and fresh cilantro.
