Southwestern Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing
This easy Southwest pasta salad recipe is bright and fresh with tender pasta, tons of veggies, and a creamy, flavorful avocado dressing. Great pasta salad for your next cookout, weekday lunches, or an easy dinner side dish.
Be sure to try Tuna Macaroni Salad and Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad next.
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You're Going to Love This
- Delicious southwestern pasta salad recipe with wholesome ingredients
- Perfect side dish for family gatherings and summer potlucks
- Easy recipe with simple ingredients you can customize to your family's tastes
- Creamy southwestern avocado dressing is so creamy and delicious, you'll be making it for all your summer salads
Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
Pasta Salad
Pasta. Rotini or fusilli pasta are great shapes for pasta salads because the twists hold onto the dressing.
Corn. You can use frozen and thawed corn, well-drained canned corn, or fresh corn.
Black beans. I use low-sodium black beans and rinse them well to keep the salt levels down.
Fresh cilantro or parsley. Cilantro is a natural pairing with southwest-inspired ingredients, but if you're like me and can't do cilantro, parsley is a great option.
Avocado Lime Dressing
Avocado. Be sure the avocado is ripe so it will blend into a smooth, creamy dressing.
Greek yogurt. You can use sour cream if you don't have Greek yogurt in the fridge.
Chili powder and cumin. These spices deliver big southwestern flavors. Add a little cayenne pepper or red chili flakes, if you like!
Apple cider vinegar. A little vinegar gives the dressing tang. You can also use one of these apple cider vinegar substitutes.
Variations
- Farfelle, shells, radiatore, or other shapes of pasta with nooks and crannies will work well.
- Chickpeas, pinto beans, and cannellini beans are all good alternatives to black beans.
- Use cotija cheese, shredded pepper Jack, or sharp cheddar instead of feta.
- Swap out the veggies with diced green pepper or red pepper, sliced black olives, green chiles, chipotle peppers, or whatever you love!
- For a hearty main dish salad, add grilled or rotisserie chicken, or grilled shrimp.
How to Make Southwestern Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing
Step 1: For al dente pasta, boil pasta in a large pot of salted water for one minute less than package directions. Drain and rinse well in a colander with cold water.
Step 2: Process all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Place cooked pasta, corn, beans, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, feta, green onion, and avocado yogurt dressing in a large mixing bowl. Toss until thoroughly mixed.
Step 4: Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with more fresh herbs, the rest of the avocado (diced or sliced), and a little more cheese, if desired.
Expert Tips
- For best results, rinse pasta when making a cold pasta salad. Rinsing will stop the cooking process so the noodles aren't mushy and wash away the starches that can cause it to clump and become gummy.
- For creamier pasta salad, use the whole avocado or add more Greek yogurt.
- If, after a day or two, the pasta absorbs too much of the dressing, stir in more Greek yogurt, a little milk, or even just some warm water to moisten it up again.
FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Yes, you should always rinse pasta when making cold pasta salad. Rinsing the pasta will cool it off and help stop the cooking process so it doesn't become mushy and rinse away the starches so it doesn't clump together.
Pasta continues to absorb liquid after it's cooked. To bring the pasta salad back to life, stir in a little more Greek yogurt, milk, some warm water, or your favorite creamy salad dressing.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Southwestern Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry rotini pasta
- 10 ounces frozen corn, thawed or canned (drained) or fresh
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, diced or sliced
- ¼ cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 3 green onions, sliced
Avocado Yogurt Dressing Recipe
- ½ ripe avocado
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water for one minute short of the package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse well with cold water.
Make Avocado Yogurt Dressing
- In food processor or blender, add ½ of a ripe avocado, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, juice and zest of one lime, and 1 tablespoon honey. Process until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, add pasta, corn, beans, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, feta, green onion, and avocado yogurt dressing. Toss until thoroughly mixed.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. If desired, before serving, garnish with fresh parsley, the other half of the avocado (diced or sliced), halved cherry tomatoes, and a little more feta cheese.
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Notes
- For even creamier pasta salad, use the whole avocado or add more Greek yogurt.
- If, after a day or two, the pasta absorbs too much of the dressing, stir in more Greek yogurt, a little milk, some warm water, or your favorite creamy dressing to moisten it up again.
