This Mexican Pasta Salad is fresh, creamy, and loaded with black beans, corn, crisp vegetables, and a bright lime dressing that stays delicious for days, making it a great option for meal prep, BBQs, and easy summer lunches.
For more Mexican-inspired meals, try our Mexican bean salad bowl, pico de gallo rice bowl, or street corn salad bowl.
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Why you’ll love this Mexican Pasta Salad!
Not every Mexican pasta salad needs a heavy, mayo-loaded dressing. Louise and I wanted one that tasted fresh, bright, and vibrant, with plenty of lime, cilantro, and crunchy vegetables in every bite. 🌽🍋
The difference is the dressing. Inspired by Mexican street corn, we whisk together Greek yogurt, a little mayo, fresh lime juice, and just enough maple syrup to balance the tang. The dressing stays light and pourable, so it coats the pasta evenly and keeps the salad creamy without feeling heavy. It also means the pasta doesn’t dry out as much as it sits, making this an excellent make-ahead pasta salad.
Black beans, corn, feta, jalapeños, and cilantro bring texture, color, and plenty of contrast. The result is a summer pasta salad that’s hearty enough for lunch, easy to bring to a BBQ, and just as good straight from the fridge the next day. 🌿
P.S. For more Mexican-inspired salads and bowls, try our Mexican cucumber salad, black bean salad, or black bean and rice bowl.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Pasta: Rotini, farfalle, fusilli, or penne all hold the dressing well. Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Black beans: Canned black beans are the quickest option. If you prefer to cook them from scratch, follow our easy guide for perfectly tender dried black beans. Pinto beans or kidney beans are great alternatives for a different black bean pasta salad.
- Corn: Fresh, canned, or thawed frozen corn all work well. Char it or sauté it with a drizzle of oil first if you’d like a smoky flavor.
- Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness and crunch. Swap with orange or yellow bell pepper.
- Red onion: For a milder bite, use pickled red onion, shallots, or sliced green onions.
- Pickled jalapeños: Bring tang and gentle heat. Use fresh jalapeños for a brighter flavor or omit them for a milder cold pasta salad recipe.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds freshness throughout the salad. If you’re not a fan, use fresh parsley instead.
- Feta cheese: We use feta because it’s easy to find and its salty, crumbly texture works beautifully here. Cotija is a more traditional choice if you can find it.
- Greek yogurt: Creates a light, creamy dressing. Low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr for even more protein, or plain dairy-free yogurt all work well.
- Mayonnaise: Just enough to add richness. Use vegan mayo if preferred.
- Lime juice: Fresh is best. Lemon juice works in a pinch.
- Garlic: Fresh grated garlic adds the most flavor. Replace it with a pinch of garlic powder or simply leave it out if you’re garlic intolerant.
- Maple syrup, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper: Balance the dressing with sweetness, warmth, and spice for a bright healthy pasta salad.
How to Make Mexican Pasta Salad
Step 1. Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook it until tender, not al dente. Pasta firms up as it cools, so cooking it a little longer gives it the best texture for a cold pasta salad recipe.
Drain the pasta, then rinse it under cold running water for about 10 seconds to stop the cooking. Shake off any excess water.
Step 2. Make the dressing
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, grated garlic, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
The dressing should be smooth, light, and pourable. It will taste quite tangy on its own, but once mixed with the pasta and vegetables, the flavors become bright and balanced.
Step 3. Toss the pasta
Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Coating the pasta first helps the dressing cling better.
Step 4. Finish the salad
Add drained and rinsed black beans, corn, diced bell pepper, chopped red onion, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and crumbled feta.
Toss gently until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust with more salt, lime juice, or pickled jalapeños if needed.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
Tips
- Cook the pasta until tender: For pasta salad, cook the pasta a little longer than al dente. It firms up as it cools, so fully cooked pasta stays pleasantly tender instead of chewy.
- Rinse the pasta briefly: A quick 10-second rinse under cold water stops the cooking without washing away all the starch. Shake the pasta well so excess water doesn’t dilute the dressing.
- Make the dressing tangy: The dressing should taste brighter and tangier than you think it should. Once tossed with the pasta, beans, corn, and vegetables, the flavors become balanced.
- Dress the pasta first: Toss the cooled pasta with the dressing before adding the vegetables. This coats every piece evenly and keeps the salad creamy instead of dry.
- Use short pasta shapes: Farfalle, rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, and similar shapes catch the dressing and little bits of vegetables in every bite.
- Drain the beans and corn well: Extra liquid can water down the dressing, so let canned beans and corn drain thoroughly before adding them.
- Adjust the heat: Add more pickled jalapeños for extra spice, use less for a milder salad, or leave them out altogether.
- Use fresh lime juice: Bottled juice works in a pinch, but freshly squeezed lime gives the dressing its bright, fresh flavor.
- Let it chill if you have time: The salad is delicious right away, but 30 minutes in the refrigerator gives the flavors time to meld.
- Store leftovers with confidence: This salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a quick toss before serving, and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you’d like to brighten it up again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. In fact, this recipe tastes even better after about 30 minutes in the refrigerator because the flavors have time to meld. If you’re making it a day ahead, give it a quick toss before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten it up if needed. It’s a great pasta salad for BBQ because it travels well and can be served cold.
Absolutely. We use feta because it’s easy to find in most grocery stores and its salty, crumbly texture works beautifully in this salad. If you have Cotija or queso fresco, they’re excellent substitutes for a more traditional Mexican-inspired flavor.
Yes! Diced avocado is a delicious topping, but we recommend adding it just before serving. Mixing it into the salad too early can cause it to brown and become mushy, especially if you’re making the salad ahead.
Store leftover Mexican Pasta Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving, and if the dressing has thickened slightly, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to loosen it. This also makes it a convenient Southwest pasta salad to prepare for lunches throughout the week.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Summer pasta salad
- Cold pasta salad
- Creamy pasta salad
- Greek pasta salad
- Lemon pasta salad with feta
- Pesto pasta salad
- 3 bean pasta salad
- Green goddess pasta salad
- Dill pickle pasta salad
If you try this Mexican Pasta Salad Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Mexican Pasta Salad (Light Greek Yogurt Dressing)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces short pasta rotini, farfalle, or other short pasta
- 1 can black beans 15 oz / 400 g
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh, canned, or frozen
- 1 red bell pepper diced – about 1 cup
- ½ red onion finely diced
- ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños chopped, add more or less to taste
- ½ cup fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled, or Cotija if available
For the Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 small clove garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt and black pepper – adjust to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces short pasta and cook until tender, not al dente.Drain and rinse under cold running water for about 10 seconds. Shake off any excess water.
- Make the dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together ½ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 small clove garlic (grated), ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Toss the pasta: Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss until every piece is coated.
- Finish the salad: Add 1 can black beans (rinsed), 1 cup corn kernels, 1 red bell pepper (diced), ½ red onion (chopped), ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños, ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped), and ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled). Toss gently until combined.Taste and add more salt, lime juice, or jalapeños if you like. Serve right away, or chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pasta → Rotini, farfalle, fusilli, penne, or gluten-free pasta.
- Black beans → Cooked dried black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans.
- Corn → Fresh, canned, or thawed frozen corn. Char or sauté for a smoky flavor.
- Red bell pepper → Orange or yellow bell pepper.
- Red onion → Pickled red onion, shallots, or green onions.
- Pickled jalapeños → Fresh jalapeños or leave them out for a milder salad.
- Fresh cilantro → Fresh parsley.
- Feta cheese → Cotija for a more traditional option.
- Greek yogurt → Low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr, or plain dairy-free yogurt.
- Mayonnaise → Vegan mayonnaise or olive oil
- Lime juice → Lemon juice.
- Garlic → Garlic powder or omit if you’re garlic intolerant.
- Maple syrup → Honey or agave syrup.
- Cook the pasta until tender: It firms up as it cools.
- Rinse briefly: About 10 seconds is enough. Drain well.
- Keep the dressing tangy: The flavors mellow once everything is mixed together.
- Dress the pasta first: It keeps every bite creamy instead of dry.
- Use short pasta: Rotini, farfalle, or fusilli hold the dressing best.
- Drain beans and corn well: Extra liquid can thin the dressing.
- Adjust the heat: Add more or fewer pickled jalapeños to taste.
- Use fresh lime juice: It gives the brightest flavor.
- Chill before serving: Even 30 minutes helps the flavors meld.
- Store leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Toss before serving and add a squeeze of lime if needed.
Nutrition
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