Southwest Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes
5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.

Southwest Pasta Salad is a delicious side for sandwiches, burgers, or anything coming off of the grill.

BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad in a red bowl with a silver spoon.
Featured With This Recipe
  1. A Favorite BBQ Side Dish
  2. Southwest Pasta Salad Ingredients
  3. Make It Your Own
  4. What Goes Well With Southwest Pasta Salad?
  5. Tips for Making Southwest Pasta Salad
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. More Macaroni and Pasta Salad Recipes
  8. How To Make Southwest Pasta Salad
  9. BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe

A Favorite BBQ Side Dish

The delightfully flavorful Southwest Pasta Salad recipe is sure to be a hit at your next summer barbecue. The dressing for the pasta is a mixture of ranch dressing and BBQ sauce which gives the pasta a rich and tangy flavor without overpowering the freshness of the vegetables in the salad. This is a very versatile salad. I like it because I can use my family’s favorite ranch dressing, our Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, and our favorite BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s, to give it the flavors we like the most.

Southwest Pasta Salad Ingredients

The base recipe for this pasta salad is simple. Once you get the base recipe down, you can go crazy and add whatever ingredients your heart desires. Here’s what you need:

  • Rotini pasta- regular or whole wheat
  • Black beans – drained and rinsed
  • Corn – Frozen, or canned corn will work great. You can also use fresh cooked or grilled corn.
  • Green onions
  • Grape or cherry tomatoes – you can also use fresh, diced tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Ranch dressing
  • BBQ sauce – store bought or homemade BBQ sauce

Make It Your Own

What you add to the salad is just as versatile. I’ve included in the recipe what I like the best in this salad. You can substitute the green onions for red onion or chickpeas for the black beans. You can use baby corn instead of frozen corn, or even better, corn fresh from the garden. Chopped Roma tomatoes can be used instead of grape tomatoes. If you aren’t a fan of avocados, they can be replaced by green peppers or artichokes. So many possibilities! You can make this BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad a hearty meal on its own by adding some protein. Try adding some leftover grilled chicken or steak, or some chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Here are some more add-in ideas:

  • Spices: Cumin, garlic, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. These can all be mixed in with the ranch dressing for aded flavor
  • Cilantro
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • red bell pepper (or orange or yellow bell pepper)
  • Chipotle peppers
  • Fire-roasted corn
  • Black olives
  • Salt and pepper, to taste (if needed)

What Goes Well With Southwest Pasta Salad?

This versatile side dish can go with so many BBQ dishes! Try it with our Saucy BBQ Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, or Grilled Chicken. Here are some more dishes that will go well with this pasta salad:

Tips for Making Southwest Pasta Salad

  • Cook the pasta to al dente as directed on the pasta packaging, or even a minute less. The pasta will continue to cook after it has been drained. Overcooking the pasta will make the pasta too soft and will make it lose some of its creaminess
  • Mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl or blend it in a blender before adding to the pasta
  • Store your leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Read Next: 35+ Best BBQ Side Dishes

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my pasta salad not creamy?

You may have added the dressing before the pasta has cooled completely. Warm pasta will absorb the dressing and it will seem less creamy. You may have also overcooked or undercooked the pasta. It needs to be perfectly al dente.

When making pasta salad do you rinse the pasta?

It is best to let the pasta cool naturally. Before draining the pasta, remove a mug full of the pasta water so you can add it to the cooling pasta if needed to keep it from getting too dry. If you are in a hurry and need cooled pasta, you can drain it under very cold water but keep in mind, you will lose some of the starchy flavor by doing this.

Can I cook the pasta the day before making pasta salad?

Yes, you can cook the pasta ahead of time, just reserve some of the pasta water so you can toss with with the pasta to keep it from sticking together. Keep the pasta water in the fridge in a jar so you can add it as needed.

More Macaroni and Pasta Salad Recipes

How To Make Southwest Pasta Salad

BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad in a red bowl with a silver spoon.

BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes
BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad is a delicious side for sandwiches, burgers, or anything coming off of the grill.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Boil pasta according to package directions to "al dente". Drain well and allow to cool. If you are in a hurry, you can rinse in cold water until completely cooled.
  • In a large bowl, mix pasta, black beans, corn, and green onions.
  • In a separate small bowl blend the ranch dressing and BBQ sauce together.
  • Coat the pasta mixture with the dressing, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
  • Just before serving, cut the avocados and sprinkle with lime juice. This will keep the avocados from turning brown.
  • Gently stir the avocados and tomatoes into the pasta and serve.

Notes

  • Cook the pasta to al dente as directed on the pasta packaging, or even a minute less. The pasta will continue to cook after it has been drained. Do not overcook the pasta. 
  • Mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl or blend it in a blender before adding to the pasta
  • Store your leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 286mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 8.4mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2.1mg

Love this recipe?

We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.

Rate and Review



Share This With the World

PinYummly

About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

More about Echo Blickenstaff

Similar Recipes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments