Chipotle Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 colander
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 measuring cup set
- 1 measuring spoon set
- 1 rubber spatula or large spoon
Ingredients
- 12 ounce pasta rotini, penne, or farfalle; short shape
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels cooked or thawed from frozen
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 red onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese or feta; crumbled
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
- 1 1–2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo finely minced
- 2 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let it drain completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, adobo sauce, minced chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning or chipotle level to your preferred heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.
- Pour the chipotle dressing over the pasta mixture and gently fold everything together until evenly coated.
- Add the crumbled cotija cheese and fold again lightly to distribute without fully dissolving the cheese.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to chill and allow flavors to meld.
- Before serving, stir the salad, taste, and adjust with extra lime juice, salt, or pepper if needed.
- Garnish with additional cilantro and cotija cheese if desired, then serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Notes
For best results, cook the pasta just to al dente so it holds its shape after chilling, and make sure it is well drained and cool so the dressing doesn’t thin out; you can prep the components (dressing, chopped vegetables, cooked pasta) a day ahead and combine a few hours before serving, adding a splash of lime juice or a spoonful of mayo if the salad seems dry after refrigeration. Adjust the heat level by varying the amount of chipotle pepper versus just adobo sauce, and consider swapping in Greek yogurt for part of the sour cream for a lighter version. This salad travels well for potlucks and picnics, but keep it chilled and avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours because of the dairy-based dressing.
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