This Southwestern Pasta Salad with Black Bean Dressing makes the perfect side salad for the weekend. Toss your favorite pasta, corn, onions, tomatoes, peppers, black beans or other beans. Make the dressing with beans, spices and lime juice. Toss, chill and serve.
July 4th is almost here and a fabulous salad is needed for all those bbq plans and for the Burgers! This salad is flexible to taste. The dressing uses beans to make it creamy, instead of oil. Taste and adjust as you go. The salad tastes best with crunchy red onions and a good load of cilantro. Make some for the long weekend, Canada Day and July 4th!
How long does it take to make this Southwestern Pasta Salad with Black Bean Dressing?
One of the things I love about this recipe is how fast and easy to make! If you are in a pinch for a delicious side dish with dinner tonight, or just really want a cool and refreshing salad, this one does the trick. In less than 30 minutes, you can have a delicious pasta salad!
What ingredients do you need to make this Southwestern Pasta Salad with Black Bean Dressing?
- mac elbows pasta
- black beans
- chopped ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, green or red bell pepper, chopped red onion, hot green chile, chopped cilantro
- Black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Dressing
- 1/3 cup (57.33 g) black beans from the salad ingredients above or from another can, drained
- 3 to 4 Tbsp non dairy milk
- 1 tsp or more ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) or more chipotle pepper ground or flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) onion powder or flakes
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) turmeric for color, optional
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) or more salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno or use chopped jalapeno + 1/2 tsp vinegar
- 1 to 3 Tbsp lime juice to taste
How do you make this Southwestern Pasta Salad with Black Bean Dressing?
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to instructions. (Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta and cook until cooked to preference. Drain, rinse and keep aside)
Step 2: Make the dressing: Blend the black beans, non dairy milk with the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust salt, spice and tang. Blend until smooth and keep aside. Use more beans and less non dairy milk for creamier dressing.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, remaining beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, half of the cilantro.
Step 4: Add in the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt and tang(lime juice). Garnish with cilantro and a very generous dash of black pepper. Serve at room temperature or Chill and serve.
Variations: Add chopped avocado tossed in lime juice to the salad. Add 2 tsp tomato paste to the dressing. Use your favorite southern chili powder instead of the spices in the dressing.
More sides from the blog that would go great with any meal:
- Crunchy Salad with Firecracker Chickpeas and Peanut sauce. Spicy!
- Potato Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Vegan Sour Cream
- Mung Bean Sprouts, Seared Carrot Salad with Spicy Chile Lime dressing
Southwestern Pasta Salad with Black Bean Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 oz (113.4 g) mac elbows pasta use gluten-free if needed
- 15 oz (425.24 g) black beans, drained and rinsed or 1.5 cups cooked
- 1 cup (149 g) chopped ripe tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (77 g) sweet corn thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup (74.5 g) chopped green or red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup (70 g) chopped red onion
- 1/2 (0.5) of hot green chile finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (4 g) packed chopped cilantro divided
- Black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Dressing
- 1/3 cup (57.33 g) black beans from the salad ingredients above or from another can, drained
- 3 to 4 Tbsp non dairy milk
- 1 tsp or more ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) or more chipotle pepper ground or flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) onion powder or flakes
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) turmeric for color, optional
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) or more salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno or use chopped jalapeno + 1/2 tsp vinegar
- 1 to 3 Tbsp lime juice to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to instructions. (Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta and cook until cooked to preference. Drain, rinse and keep aside)
- Make the dressing: Blend the black beans, non dairy milk with the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust salt, spice and tang. Blend until smooth and keep aside. Use more beans and less non dairy milk for creamier dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, remaining beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, half of the cilantro.
- Add in the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt and tang(lime juice). Garnish with cilantro and a very generous dash of black pepper. Serve at room temperature or Chill and serve.
- Variations: Add chopped avocado tossed in lime juice to the salad. Add 2 tsp tomato paste to the dressing. Use your favorite southern chili powder instead of the spices in the dressing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Cindi
This looks so good! How long do u think it will keep in fridge? 3-4 days?
Vegan Richa Support
more like 2 max.
Danielle Higdon
Just made this and ohhhhh sooooo yummy! The black bean dressing is delicious, i didnt have cilantro and it was still amazing! Will be making this all the time.
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Pooja
Thank you so much for this recipe. So fast to make and turned out super yummy ! Dressing is to the point. Will make again.
Fiona
I just made the dressing and it is so good! It’s going to be a firm favourite for me!
Richa
awesome!
Diane Corrie
This recipe sounds great, and I would like to try it, but I really don’t like cilantro.
Any ideas for what to use in place of it, or another spice to bump up the flavour profile without using cilantro?
Richa
parsley or mint and parsley
Patti
I’m looking at the ingredients and I can’t figure out what it is that makes the sodium content so high. I’ve made and enjoyed this recipe before but I’m trying to cut back on my sodium intake. Do you have any suggestions for how I could reduce the sodium?
Richa
388 mg is not really high per serve for avg. Most salted meals avg 200-600 mg.
salt amounts for 1300 mg for 1/2 tsp, so if you omit that, the number will drastically reduce. Also use low sodium or salt free black beans
Patti
OK!! Well, that explains it! I downloaded and printed the recipe when there was a typo in it apparently that listed the sodium at 838 mg not 338 mg. I agree with you that 388 mg is not unusual. Thanks for your reply.
April Hall
I made this and it’s very tasty. I like that your recipes make reasonable amounts, not huge quantities like some. I’ve learned from following several of your recipes that I usually need to use less hot spices and chilies than you do. I can add more, but I can’t take it away if I make it too spicy for our puny taste buds. Thanks for sharing your great recipes!
Richa
awesome! yes use lesser heat to begin with and adjust later
Sue
Is it just the added salt that’s bringing the sodium % so high? Don’t see any other ingredients that scream high sodium.
Richa
the pasta. i changed the brand and the sodium went down.
Rachel
I was just wondering if the sauce freezes well? I was thinking about making a giant batch, portioning it out, and freezing it for future convienence. Any tips?
Richa
Yes it does. I freeze it in ice cubes then store in a ziplock
Jess
Thanks for an oil free recipe Richa!
Nicole
This recipe is a keeper for sure! I would double the spices and sauce for the next time. Didn’t last 24 hours in my house between the two of us!
Tracey
Trying to figure out the calories per serving?
Brian
Had all the ingredients on hand including some super hot chilis fresh from the garden…so thanks for the delicious dinner!
Emily
Made this for a potluck this week. doubled the recipe. everyone loved it!
pralinesloth
thank you for another great recipe – BF and I loved it! didn’t think of it until too late, but next time will add in some of the lime zest ’cause we like limey:)
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship
This looks perfect to take for lunches!!!! Thank you!!!!
Cristina
I would like to make this for this coming weekend. Any suggestions on what to make as a main dish with it?
amanda
This would be a great main all by itself.
Babs
Made this over the weekend and really liked the little luck of spices, but actually a bit mild. The main problem is that the salad was a bit dry, especially since I let it sit overnight to let the seasonings marry. May try and use a bit more almond milk to make it a bit less dry.
Richa
Awesome! sure add more almond milk or lime juice and more spices if you like. I think i added quite some lime juice and we finished the salad within the hour.:) or the pasta could have had some moisture as well.
Jennifer Harmon {Peppers and Peaches}
This just inspired me to mess with the remaining ingredients I have left in my home. I am doing a purge (when you stop buying groceries and make yourself use up every little thing in your pantry) and this is the recipe I needed. You rock! Thanks for this one 🙂
James
I made this today, it turned out amazing!! Thanks so much for such a great simple healthy and scrumptious recipe!
Richa
Awesome! So glad you loved it!!
Emily
Made this for dinner yesterday topped with avocado and a side gazpacho. Perfect summer dinner!
Cassie Tran
Great summer recipe! I love the black bean dressing!
plasterers bristol
Yum this sounds really delicious. I love trying new recipes from blogs. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Simon