Southwestern Pasta Salad

Great summertime cold pasta salad full of veggies and protein. I made this for a Cinco de Mayo party and it was a great hit! Packed with tomatoes, corn, onion, cilantro, black beans, and cheese. Wonderful for any summer gathering or party! I also want to try adding crunchy, colorful bell peppers.

Servings 9

Ingredients:

8 oz whole wheat rotini pasta (about 3 cups dry)*
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
15 oz low sodium black beans, drained (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup corn (thawed), fresh or frozen
1/2 cup mexican style four cheese
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped*

Avocado Dressing
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, plain
2 limes (4 Tbsp), freshly squeezed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling water, according to the packaged directions.
2. Rinse with cold water and drain, pour into a large bowl.
3. Mix in halved tomatoes, black beans, corn, cheese, red onion, and cilantro.
4. Dressing: Add all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, smash the avocado into a paste, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix together.
5. Mix the dressing into the pasta salad and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Another pasta option to try is Barilla Protein Plus multigrain pasta made of dried beans, egg whites, and flaxseed (omega-3). 

*Can substitute cilantro with 1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden Cilantro Paste. I like this product because it keeps in your fridge for a long time. 

Nutrition per Serving (2/3 cup): 195 calories, 9g protein, 31g carbs, 6g fiber, 4g fat, 1g sat fat, 204mg sodium