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

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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.

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

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