Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle Dressing (Vegan!)
This fresh & zesty pasta salad is tossed with a (no-mayo!) creamy chipotle dressing. It's an easy, crowd-pleasing dish made with healthy, vibrant ingredients.
Servings: 10 (1-cup servings)
Ingredients
- 12 oz. elbow pasta (gluten-free if desired)
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 1/2 cups sweet corn (or fire-roasted)
- 3-4 roma tomatoes
- 2/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup red onion
- 1 jalapeño pepper
For the creamy chipotle dressing:
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked*
- 2/3 cup water
- 1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce**
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or fresh garlic cloves)
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Begin by cooking your pasta according to package instructions, leaving it al dente. (Slightly firm, not mushy.)
- Prepare salad: While pasta cooks, dice tomatoes. Roughly chop the cilantro. Finely dice the onion and jalapeño (if using), seeds removed. Place in a large mixing bowl. Then add black beans (rinsed and drained) and cooked corn.
- Make dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small high-speed blender. (I use a NutriBullet.) Blend for 20-30 seconds or until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors if desired.
- Combine: When pasta is done cooking, drain well. Add to bowl, then immediately pour dressing on top. Toss well to combine.
Notes
*Soaking cashews: Before blending, soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Then drain and rinse before using. Or you can "quick soak" the cashews: Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl and carefully add hot/boiling water until cashews are covered. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Then drain and rinse.
**For oil-free chipotles: In my experience, canned chipotle peppers typically contain a small amount of oil. If you need a completely oil-free option, look for chipotle peppers in a jar instead.
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 3 days, but it's freshest and creamiest within the first day.
Yield: This recipe makes about 10 heaping cups.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 252 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 5 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Potassium: 398 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 355 IU | Vitamin C: 9 mg | Calcium: 33 mg | Iron: 2 mg
