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layered southwestern pasta salad

Lionors avatar
Recipe by
Alix E
@Lionors
The terminally messy desk, TX

Easy, colorful, and super tasty, this quick-to-fix pasta salad will be the star of any backyard summer barbecue. It's perfect on a hot day, keeps well in the refrigerator, and, best of all, requires minimal cooking time, which is great when it's scorching outside and you don't want to stand over a hot stove. Added bonus: 'Southwest' is often a code word for 'super hot', but in this case, you can make this salad as mild or as spicy as you like just by adjusting the heat in the taco sauce. Hot or mild, it's delicious!

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yield 8 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 8 Hr
method Refrigerate/Freeze

Ingredients For layered southwestern pasta salad

  • 2 c
    cooked elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 tsp
    evoo
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 15 oz can
    dark red kidney beans
  • 2 11 oz can
    super sweet niblets corn
  • 1/2 c
    diced bell peppers
  • 1/2 c
    diced onions
  • 3/4 c
    mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c
    sour cream
  • 1/2 c
    homemade taco sauce* (see note below)
  • TACO SAUCE
  • 1 can
    tomato sauce, unseasoned (does not have to be salt free)
  • 1 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 2 tsp
    minced dried onion
  • 1/2 tsp
    dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp
    worcestershire sauce
  • cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste (i like mcilhenny tabasco)
  • salt and pepper to taste

How To Make layered southwestern pasta salad

  • 1
    Prepare elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water, drain again. Toss macaroni with oil, cumin and salt and divide into two cups.
  • 2
    Layer 1 cup macaroni, beans, corn, bell peppers, onions and 2nd cup of macaroni in glass bowl or trifle dish, making layers as even as possible.
  • 3
    In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and taco sauce. Spread mixture evenly over top of pasta, sealing to the edge of the dish.
  • 4
    Cover tightly and chill overnight or 6-8 hours, whatever works best for you. This can even be served right away, if you're in a hurry -- I've had to do this a few times when I had to contribute a last minute dish to an event. Just run the pasta through very cold water and drain thoroughly before seasoning. However, the longer chilling time does improve the flavor.
  • 5
    Note: The taco sauce (this is *not* salsa) can be homemade or you can use any commercial taco sauce. The heat of the taco sauce determines the heat of the dish, so this can be as hot or as mild as you want it to be. The trifle dish or clear glass bowl is not necessary, but if you want something that not only tastes good to take to a party but also looks good, I highly recommend the trifle dish -- the layers look very appetizing and colorful! Note 2: I often double this recipe if I want to fully fill a trifle dish or if I'm making this for a group. It lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I do recommend going for fresh sweet corn or getting the canned super sweet corn, though; it definitely makes a difference in the taste.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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