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Southwest Pasta Salad




Source of Recipe


Unknown


Recipe Introduction


Flavor combinations typical of the Southwest blend to create this refreshingly spicy and easy-to-make dish. You can adjust the spiciness to suit your palate simply by varying the amount of cayenne.


List of Ingredients




Pasta
1 pound fusilli or other spiral-shaped pasta of your choice

Dressing
4 teaspoons chili powder
½ –1½ teaspoons cayenne (½ is mildly spicy, 1½ is hot)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons finely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1½ tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon honey

Vegetables
1 (16 oz.) package frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ red onion, finely diced
3 green onions (both white and green parts), thinly sliced
½ bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Recipe



Advance Preparation: 30 minutes

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover and set aside.

2. Prepare vegetables as specified.

Final Preparation: 15 minutes

1. Cook pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and place in an extra-large serving bowl.

2. Add all vegetables in succession, tossing thoroughly between each addition.

3. Drizzle with dressing and toss thoroughly to evenly coat ingredients. Serve immediately while still warm, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. (Refrigerate leftovers and allow to slowly warm to room temperature before serving again.)

Tips, Hints & Short-Cuts

For a non-vegetarian entree, make extra dressing to use as a marinade for boneless, skinless chicken breasts or large shrimp. After marinating 20 minutes, grill chicken or shrimp until done. Slice into bite-size pieces and toss with the vegetables in step #2 above. Alternatively, slice the raw chicken or shrimp into bite-size pieces first, place in the marinade, and then quickly stir-fry along with a few tablespoons of marinade in a pre-heated dry skillet.

Serves 8–12

Nutrition Data (Per Serving)
Calories: 310
Calories from Fat: 9.9%
Total Fat: 3.6 g
Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 445 mg
Carbohydrates: 61 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.3 g
Protein: 13 g