It’s a milestone day: the first pasta salad recipe of the summer! This creamy Mexican Pasta Salad marks the start of the sacred season of picnics and potlucks, back porch barbecues, and days at the lake. My goal is to be as occupied as possible not being occupied—and to eat lots of yummy food while I do it.
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Over the weekend, Ben and I were lucky enough to host five of our best friends from college, along with two of their little girls.
Since no guest in our house is permitted to be hungry, I had a few of the larger meals planned and stocked the refrigerator with some anytime, make-ahead staples (such as this Mexican Pasta Salad), and my friends brought the rest.
Whenever mealtime hit, we’d pull everything off of the refrigerator shelves, pile our plates high with a delicious hodgepodge of different dishes, and take them outside to our backyard to feast.
It felt like attending a three-day potluck party, with sunny weather, your best friends, and no smartphones in sight.
These first weeks of summer are some of my favorites. The days grow longer, and the season still has the illusion of being endless. I spend less time prepping meals and more time enjoying them.
Our mealtimes become less regimented too. On weekends, we often spend the entire day at Ben’s parents’ lake house, where the noontime meal is a spread of chips, dip, and cheese.
“Lunch” doesn’t start until 3 p.m., when we all realize that lying in the sun on a pontoon boat for the past three hours has made us all starving (and Chicken Pasta Salad will hit the spot).
About This Mexican Pasta Salad
This moment—the late-afternoon summer meal, the impromptu gathering with friends, the “I need to eat but I don’t want to cook”—is where Mexican pasta salad shines.
A mix of Mexican-inspired ingredients such as black beans, corn, and avocado, along with hearty whole wheat pasta and a light and creamy Greek yogurt paprika dressing, this Southwestern pasta salad boasts simple prep and complex flavor, with wide crowd appeal.
For maximum ease, I used canned black beans and corn.
While this Mexican pasta salad recipe might be my first pasta salad of the summer, it certainly won’t be my last or the last time I make it.
I’ve also grown very fond of deliciously easy Shrimp Pasta Salad, Tuna Pasta Salad, and this Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad on a lazy Summer afternoon!
If the next three months are as promising as I’m daring myself to believe, you and I have many lazy afternoons to spend working up an appetite.
Whether you potluck, picnic, or simply want to pass more of your time outside of your kitchen than inside of it, let this Mexican pasta salad (or just this Mexican Salad) be one of your summertime staples too.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead. Make the dressing and cook the pasta up to 1 day in advance. Toss together up to 4 hours before serving.
- To Store. Place leftover salad in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Black Bean Corn Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Creamy Arugula Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Tomato
- Caprese Pasta Salad
Mexican Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
FOR THE PASTA SALAD:
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta bow tie, elbow, or similar
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced sodium black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 large avocados peeled, pitted, and diced
- 3 whole green onions thinly sliced
- 1 large jalapeno cored, seeded, and diced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
FOR THE DRESSING:
- ¾ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 2 limes plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco or similar hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Rinse with cool water, drain, and place in a large serving bowl. Add the corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, avocados, green onions, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lime zest and juice, hot sauce, salt, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Taste and add additional salt or spices as desired. Pour over the pasta mixture. Toss to coat, then sprinkle the feta over the top. If time allows, chill for 2 hours prior to serving or enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Make the dressing and cook the pasta up to 1 day in advance. Toss together up to 4 hours before serving.
Nutrition
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This recipe is genious! I love how everything is going fine but a twist of adding pasta. I can’t wait to make this for summer get togethers.
Thanks so much, Brynn! I hope you enjoy!
I have a question, do you heat/ bake the beans and corn before adding them to the salad?
Hi Emma! Nope, they go in as directed in the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
We are hitting record high with 93 degrees today on the East Coast. I’m not complaining, I love it :)!! And this pasta salad just came to me at the right time, I have everything in my pantry (except feta cheese) to make this recipe happens quick! :) So thank you!
It sounds like great weather for this salad, Amy! I hope you enjoy this recipe and the sun too!
Sounds good as well as nutritious and easy. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Peggy!
Love all of the awesome flavors going on in that pasta salad!The black beans, the feta. As always great work (:
Thank you so much! ❤️
Hi, love the recipe! How long will it keep in the fridge?
Hi Erica! It will last a few days without the dressing. If you’re going to make it ahead, I’d recommend keeping the dressing separate until serving. I’m glad you enjoy it!
I had everything in my fridge ect.
I charred the corn and I used Fresno Mexican cheese instead of feta. I also added some shredded sharp cheddar.
I didn’t have the cherry tomatoes so I used Roma tomatoes and it worked just fine. Not going to cut the avocados till everybody’s ready to eat.
Of course, I snuck a few bites. It’s absolutely delicious.
I didn’t put a lot of the dressing on (I don’t like a lot on mine) but I had extra so people could add more if they wanted to.
I was just going to make a plain pasta salad but then, I saw your recipe and I thought ….let me give this a try !!
I’m so glad I did 😋
Hi Sasse! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
hey girl- this looks amazing! yummy!
Thank you so much, Shawnna!
Really good recipe! Everybody loved it! Tried it after making the strawberry granola bars 2x in one week! Can’t wait to find and try more
Thanks so much for reporting back, Stacy! I’m so glad to hear the salad was a hit!
I love how simple this salad is to put together and great for taking for lunches at work. Great variety of colors and flavors. I’ve made it twice this summer and it keeps well in the fridge (without dressing) for a few days!
Diana, I’m so glad to hear this salad is a winner for you! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try and taking the time to report back. :)
I think you would need to keep out the avocado if you stored it in the fridge. The avocado will turn brown and develop an off flavor when stored cut in the fridge. Whole, ripe avocados store very well in the fridge.
If you’re concerned about the avocado turning brown, you can certainly wait to add it until serving, Amber!
Thanks for what seems to be a great recipe! I have a pick and save near by, and shop there regularly. I find simple truth a great product and always live their produce. I’d like to start a blog also, my focus is in Italian cooking and I’ve been there several times going back in the fall. I’m cooking for a birthday party in May, this will be great! It’s all Mexican. I think I’ll add some cumin as well, I live that spice. Also a little Mexican oregano. Again, thanks, I’ll be sure to follow you from now on! Karen
Hi Karen! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this recipe if you decide to give it a try!
In my note to you I gave you the wrong email for me I have several, oops! Sorry I’ll post the right one below..thanks Karen
Thanks Erin, I reread my post, must not have had my glasses on! I kept using ‘live’ instead of love! I’ve decided to add some precooked shrimp as well. I look forward to looking at some of your other ideas. And hope to join the world of bogging soon.
Thanks again, Karen Redelin
Do you drain/rinse beans and corn?
Hi Maryna, yes I do! I’ll clarify that in the ingredient list.
Thank you!
Are the cans of corn to be drained. Fixing a huge batch for Mexican themed graduation party.
Hi Dee! Yes, I drain and rinse both the corn and beans. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Are grape tomatoes an okay substitute instead of cherry tomatoes?
They should work great, Tara. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Me again!! I’m getting ready for a graduation party, I was wondering if doing a shredded cheese instead of feta will make a huge difference in flavor? Shredded is less costly lolll!!!
Hi Tara! It will alter the flavor of the salad a bit, but I think it would still be delicious. I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
I made this for a gathering of retired coworker girlfriends and their husbands. We met at Ancient Hills Winery on the patio in Kelowna, British Columbia. We ordered their Rose icy cold wine and ate Mexician Pasta Salad. Everyone absolutely loved it. Now I am passing the recipe on to all the girls.
It makes a large recipe. Their was a little bit left so the next day I just added more freshly picked tomatoes and had lunch at another friend. They too thought it was amazing. Thank you well plated!!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Helene! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
What can you use in sted of clontra
Hi Carmen! To clarify, did you mean cilantro? If so, you can just omit it. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Erin,
Can you use regular mayonnaise in the dressing instead of the yogurt?
Hi Kristin, while I haven’t tried it, yes you should be able to use mayonnaise instead of yogurt. It might change the flavor slightly. Let me know how it goes!
The flavors are so bright! I added medium black olives and doubled the green onions. It was perfectly refreshing! I can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Kristen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delish! I made this for our neighborhood progressive dinner. It was a hit!
Hi Dianne! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
Just finished making this salad very healthy! Serving it tomorrow for Canada Day BBQ.
Hi Sherri! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Excellent! Fresh and flavorful, even the canned corn! A nice change from Greek pasta salad.
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This salad was mind blowing, had it for the first time at a baby shower, can’t get enough. Going to make it for dinner this week, what meat recommendations do you have to go good with the salad??
Hi Linh! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! You could try shrimp, beef, or chicken! I think pretty much any of these would go good with it!
I always look for ingredients that mesh and this one does just that! I used fresh sweet corn instead of canned. Love the hint of smoked paprika in the dressing.
Thanks for a fresh end of summer salad!
Hi Sue! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wow, amazingly delicious! Will definitely be making this again! Perfect summer salad!
Great to hear, thank you Corinna!
This pasta salad is such a great change of pace!!! I added Field Roast plant-based chipotle sausages & used pickled jalapenos instead of fresh. Will be making this all summer!
Yum! Thank you Emma!