Description
A refreshing and nutritious Vegan Southwest Pasta Salad, perfect for a light meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces whole grain pasta (fusilli or penne)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a pot of water and cooking the pasta according to the package directions until it reaches an al dente texture. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow it to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, mix together the black beans, corn, chopped red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, finely chopped red onion, and cilantro until well combined.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper until the dressing is smooth and well blended.
- Once the pasta has cooled, add it to the bowl with the vegetable mixture. Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently fold everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. For the best flavor, let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the ingredients to meld beautifully.
Notes
- For an extra crunch, consider adding diced cucumber or a handful of crushed tortilla chips right before serving.
- Feel free to swap the black beans for chickpeas or kidney beans to explore different tastes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing and Boiling
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg