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Luisa's Southwest Pasta Salad Edit Tags: Salads

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Author: Shelly Moon Uploaded By: Shelly

Ingredients:

½ lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about ¾ C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
½ C sliced green onions
½ C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
8 oz diced cooked chicken (this is fantastic)
½ C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)
Dressing ingredients below-
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
¼ C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (or 1 tsp minced garlic)
1 ½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
¾ C canola oil
½ C roughly chopped cilantro

Directions:

Boil pasta in salted water until cooked.
While it's cooking, prepare dressing.
First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.
Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender.
(Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth.
With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated.
Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.
When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool.
Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest.
Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired.
Toss with dressing.
Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving.
Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top.
Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.
Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings
Takes 45 minutes to make.
I only used ½ of the dressing and it was enough, so you can save the rest for later, or cut it in ½.