layered southwestern pasta salad

Name: Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cup(s) cooked elbow macaroni; 1/2 teaspoon(s) evoo; 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt; 15 oz can(s) dark red kidney beans; 2 11 oz can(s) super sweet niblets corn; 1/2 cup(s) diced bell peppers; 1/2 cup(s) diced onions; 3/4 cup(s) mayonnaise; 1/2 cup(s) sour cream; 1/2 cup(s) homemade taco sauce* (see note below); ## TACO SAUCE; 1 can(s) tomato sauce, unseasoned (does not have to be salt free); 1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon(s) garlic powder; 2 teaspoon(s) minced dried onion; 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon(s) worcestershire sauce; cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste (i like mcilhenny tabasco); salt and pepper to taste

1 Pinch

Alix E

The terminally messy desk, TX

Updated on Jul 18, 2023

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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prep time 20 Min

cook time 8 Hr

method Refrigerate/Freeze

yield 8 serving(s)

Ingredients

2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon evoo
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 oz cans dark red kidney beans
2 11 oz cans super sweet niblets corn
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
1/2 cup diced onions
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup homemade taco sauce* (see note below)
TACO SAUCE
1 can tomato sauce, unseasoned (does not have to be salt free)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons minced dried onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon 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

Step 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.

Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
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