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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Salad » Mexican Pasta Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

    Mexican Pasta Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

    Published: May 8, 2019 · Modified: Jun 1, 2021 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing

    This make ahead Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing is packed with tasty ingredients. Flavor comes in every bite from the Mexican street corn, chili seasoning, lime juice, Cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. It’s a great Mexican side dish for tacos, potlucks and BBQs. Let’s get cooking!

    make ahead Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing in a serving bowl with wooden spoon

    This is the pasta salad people always remember at the potluck or party. It’s not the traditional Italian pasta salad people expect. The bite of corn and red pepper is sweet. And the cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice and hint of chili is exciting. It’s easy to make this pasta salad a day in advance. It only gets better with the extra time in the fridge.

    Ingredients for Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing

    Like most of my make ahead salads, it’s easy to adjust the ingredients in this Mexican pasta salad to your liking. My version starts with al dente rigatoni pasta. Plus black beans and a bunch of veggies: frozen corn, tomatoes, red pepper, carrots, and red onion. The dressing is made with fresh squeezed lime, olive oil, champagne vinegar and spices including chili power. Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro are tossed in at the end.

    closeup of ingredients for Mexican pasta salad for a potluck on a white table

    What is cotija cheese?

    Cojita cheese is a similar cheese staple in Mexican cooking as Feta is to Greek food, and Parmesan is to Italian food. Cojita is a semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk. The texture is similar to mozzarella cheese. It’s likely available at your grocery store, but if not, you can substitute queso fresco or cheddar cheese for this recipe. To store leftover cojita, wrap it in parchment paper and store it in a sealed plastic bag.

    overhead process shot of Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing in a large glass bowl with gray napkin

    How to make Mexican pasta salad – step by step

    Here’s how to make Mexican pasta salad.

    First, bring the frozen corn up to room temperature. There are a couple ways to do this. You can thaw the corn for a couple hours in the fridge (in a colander with a bowl under it to catch extra moisture), or run cool water over frozen corn in the sink.

    If you’re not serving the salad immediately, then it’s easier to add the frozen corn directly to the salad and let it thaw while mingling with the other ingredients, in about one or two hours the fridge.

    rigatoni pasta drained in the sink after boiling while being filmed for food blog
    Rigatoni for Mexican pasta salad being drained… while I’m filming a special for YouTube

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta to water and cook until al dente. Drain rigatoni pasta. Drizzle a little olive oil on rigatoni and toss the pasta so it doesn’t stick together. Set aside in a large bowl.

    Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, red pepper, carrots, red onion, and cotija cheese to the pasta. Toss to combine.

    Check out these other crowd pleasing party foods.

    finished make ahead mexican salad with homemade chili lime dressing and cojita cheese

    Make the chili lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of one lime, olive oil, champagne vinegar, chili power, salt and pepper. Taste the dressing to see if it’s to your liking and make any adjustments needed.

    Toss Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy.

    Love these flavors? See this tasty Mexican tortellini pasta salad and this zesty cilantro lime dressing.

    Tasty tips for Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing

    • Don’t overcook the pasta! Cook the rigatoni it to a perfect al dente so it holds up in the salad.
    • No cojita cheese? Substitute queso fresco or cheddar cheese for this Mexican pasta salad.
    • To store leftover cojita cheese, wrap it in parchment paper and store it in a sealed plastic bag.
    • If you’re not serving the salad immediately, you add the frozen corn directly to the salad and it will thaw in 1-2 hours the fridge.
    • These glass bowls with lids are perfect for making and storing Mexican pasta salad.

    For a tasty beverage and food pairing, try this Frozen Pineapple Mint Margarita by Easy and Delish.

    Try these easy salads

    • Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
    • Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad
    • Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing
    • Best Caprese Salad Recipe

    And if you love fresh corn, check out this recipe for sous vide corn on the cob.

    Love Mexican food and always end up with leftovers? Check out this article which answers the question “can you freeze refried beans“?

    pasta salad with corn and cojita cheese in a small bowl for a potluck

    Let me know when you make this pasta salad.

    And if you’re looking for another easy side dish, here’s on that goes fast in my house. This easy tomato pesto pasta salad is the perfect side dish for an easy weeknight meal.

    Don’t forget to tag me @sipbitego on Instagram so I can see how the recipe turned out. And sign up for the Sip Bite Go newsletter.

    Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing in a serving bowl with wooden spoon

    Mexican Pasta Salad with Chili Lime Dressing Recipe (Sip Bite Go)

    This make ahead Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing is packed with tasty ingredients. Flavor comes in every bite from the Mexican street corn, chili seasoning, lime juice, Cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. It's a great Mexican side dish for tacos, potlucks and BBQs.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Salad
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 11 minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 235kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz corn frozen
    • 1 lb rigatoni pasta

    • 15 oz black beans drained
    • 4 medium tomatoes insides removed and diced
    • 1 red pepper diced
    • 2 medium carrots diced
    • ½ red onion diced
    • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled

    • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
    • 3 tbsp champagne vinegar
    • 1.5 tsp chili power
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp pepper
    • 2 tbsp cilantro fresh chopped
    • 1 medium lime juice only

    Instructions

    • Bring corn up to room temperature. There are a couple ways to do this. You can thaw the corn for a couple hours in the fridge (in a colander with a bowl under it to catch extra moisture), or run cool water over frozen corn in the sink. If you’re not serving the salad immediately, you add also the frozen corn directly to the salad and it will thaw in 1-2 hours the fridge.
    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta to water and cook until al dente. Drain rigatoni pasta. Drizzle a little olive oil on rigatoni and toss the pasta so it doesn’t stick together. Set aside in a large bowl.
    • Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, red pepper, carrots, red onion, and cotija cheese to the pasta. Toss to combine.
    • Make the chili lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of one lime, olive oil, champagne vinegar, chili power, salt and pepper. Taste the dressing to see if it’s to your liking and make any adjustments needed.
    • Toss Mexican pasta salad with chili lime dressing. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy.

    Notes

    • Don't overcook the pasta! Cook the rigatoni it to a perfect al dente so it holds up in the salad.
    • No cojita cheese? Substitute queso fresco or cheddar cheese for this Mexican pasta salad.
    • To store leftover cojita cheese, wrap it in parchment paper and store it in a sealed plastic bag.
    • If you’re not serving the salad immediately, you add the frozen corn directly to the salad and it will thaw in 1-2 hours the fridge. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 516mg | Potassium: 537mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3725IU | Vitamin C: 33.6mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1.8mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Abby says

      August 07, 2019 at 7:14 pm

      Hi,
      I am so looking forward to making this recipe. It sounds delicious. Which would be the best substitute for the champagne vinegar?.
      Thanks in advance.

      Reply
      • Developer says

        August 07, 2019 at 8:30 pm

        Hi Abby, try red wine vinegar. Champagne is a bit lighter but red wine will do the trick. Get it for next time. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Denise Browning says

      June 10, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Hi, Jenna! What a colorful and yummy salad. Thank you for linking to my pineapple margarita. Cheers!

      Reply
      • Developer says

        June 10, 2019 at 7:27 pm

        So tasty Denise!

        Reply
    3. Jeannette says

      June 03, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      Thank you so much for telling us what we can substitute for the cojita cheese! (queso fresco or cheddar cheese) I live in another country, looking through the recipe that is the only thing we don’t have.5 stars

      Reply
      • Developer says

        June 03, 2019 at 7:48 pm

        Hey Jeanette, what a bummer you don’t have cojita! I hope you get to try it in your travels. And the salad will taste just as great with the substitute cheese 🙂

        Reply
    4. siennylovesdrawing says

      May 17, 2019 at 9:04 pm

      wowo!! Love this salad recipe shared, seems so addictive delicious!! cheers, siennylovesdrawing

      Reply
    5. GiGi Eats says

      May 16, 2019 at 9:14 pm

      This pasta sounds INSANELY flavorful!!!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Lisa Rios says

      May 16, 2019 at 5:08 pm

      Looks delicious! I love pasta salads – they are so good and can be made with many ingredients.

      Reply
    7. Annemarie LeBlanc says

      May 16, 2019 at 3:01 pm

      This pasta salad really looks delicious! I hope I can find cotija cheese in our local grocery store. But as you said, I can use cheddar cheese if I can’t find cotija. I will try your recipe this weekend.5 stars

      Reply
    8. Joyce Osiango says

      May 16, 2019 at 2:18 pm

      I have something to be proud of this weekend when I prepare it for my friends. http://www.thecozyme.com

      Reply
    9. Michelle Christie says

      May 16, 2019 at 6:04 am

      Thanks for this step-by-step recipe. We love trying different foods at our house and will make this for the summer months.

      Reply
    10. Lavern Moore says

      May 16, 2019 at 3:25 am

      The Mexican pasta salad seems like an awesome interesting dish to try. I’m curious to faste the cojita cheese.

      Reply
    11. Veena Azmanov says

      May 08, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      Pasta is my family favorite meal and this salad is colorful and a total healthy meal option too. Have to make some this weekend.5 stars

      Reply
    12. Colleen says

      May 08, 2019 at 7:27 pm

      So interesting to make a pasta salad with a Mexican twist. It looks delicious. Trying this weekend!5 stars

      Reply
    13. Jill says

      May 08, 2019 at 7:26 pm

      Loving all the flavors in this pasta salad. Perfect for a picnic!5 stars

      Reply
    14. Cathy says

      May 08, 2019 at 7:13 pm

      Wow what a perfect summer salad! This is perfect for my barbeque this weekend! So making this! Love all the flavors and pretty inviting colors! Perfect!5 stars

      Reply
    15. Caroline says

      May 08, 2019 at 7:02 pm

      I’m a big fan of cotija, it has a great flavor, and I can see everything going well here – sounds a tasty option for a potluck.

      Reply

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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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