Southwest Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Simple to make & packed with flavor, this Southwest Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette is a perfect recipe for summer!

We live on pasta salads during the summer. Those & simple wraps. These are the two easiest things to get made with out heating up your kitchen. Because trust me, when it’s 100+ degrees in a Texas summer, adding heat to your home is something you definitely do not want to do!

This Southwest Pasta Salad was so easy to make & absolutely delicious. Everything comes together super fast. There’s hardly any chopping involved. The dressing mixes up so easily. I like a little extra crunch with my pasta salads so I topped my bowl with tortilla strips, which were delicious mixed in, but that’s totally optional to your tastes!

Southwest Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

for the pasta salad:

• 1 box 12 ounces farfalle pasta
• about 2 cups corn salsa homemade or store bought
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• crispy tortilla strips optional

for the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• juice from 5 small limes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Instructions

 

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain & rinse in cool water.
• Add the drained pasta to a large bowl, and mix in the corn salsa & grape tomatoes.
• In a small blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients for the Cilantro Lime Dressing. Gently pulse until the cilantro is minced & the dressing is well mixed & easy to pour over the pasta.
• Pour the dressing over the pasta, toss to coat. Serve immediately topped with the tortilla strips.
• *if not serving immediately, pour only part of the dressing over the pasta, just enough to coat, & then place in the fridge until ready to serve. Add the remaining dressing to the pasta & toss to coat right before serving.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

RECIPE INSPIRED BY: Chelsea’s Messy Apron

MORE PASTA SALADS PERFECT FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS:

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Peppered Bacon & Sweet Balsamic Pasta Salad

50 Beat the Heat Pasta Salad Recipes

this recipe may be showing off at any of these fabulous parties