Creamy Mexican Pasta Salad
Servings : 6
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb 100% whole wheat pasta farfalle or penne
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1/4 red onion diced
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen (no need to thaw if frozen)
- 1 can black beans 14.5 oz, rinsed and drained
- 1 tomato diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 1 jalapeno sliced, optional, for garnish
Dressing
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
Pasta Salad
- In the instant pot®, add pasta and 4 cups water. Lock lid. Set valve to sealing. Program for manual-high, and 4 minutes. Or bring 6 quarts of water to a boil on the stovetop and add pasta. Cook 8 minutes or until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, combine bell pepper, avocado, red onion, corn, black beans, tomato, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss well. Set aside. Make dressing as directed below. Set aside.
- When pasta is done, rinse it in cold water (for cold salad) or toss immediately with vegetables in bowl (warm salad). Toss well. Pour dressing over pasta mixture. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately (warm salad), or refrigerate up to 3 days (cold salad). Top with additional cilantro and fresh jalapeños, if desired.
Dressing
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Notes
For a heartier dish, serve with 3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced. For Gluten Free, simply use whole grain gluten free pasta.