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Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad

Cilantro lime pasta salad with bright citrus dressing and crisp corn and bell pepper. Penne or rotini is cooked until tender, then tossed with fresh cilantro, lime zest, and black beans for a light Mexican-inspired summer side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
Cilantro lime dressing
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 0.333 cup lime juice
  • 2 limes zest of 2 limes
  • 0.5 cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain it.
  2. Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop cooking and cool it quickly, so it stays firm.
Make the cilantro lime dressing
  1. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper until the dressing is evenly combined and glossy.
Toss the salad
  1. Add the pasta, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, and red onion to a large bowl and stir to distribute everything evenly.
  2. Pour the cilantro lime dressing over the salad and toss until all pasta is coated and bright green flecks of cilantro show through.
Chill, then serve
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the dressing thickens slightly.
  2. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta well with cold water so it doesn’t clump, then chill uncovered for 30 minutes before covering. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best flavor, give it a quick toss after chilling. Freezing is not recommended because the corn and cilantro can lose their crunch. If you want a lighter version, use reduced-fat olive oil or reduce the olive oil to 1/4 cup while keeping the lime juice and zest the same.