Description
Southwest Pasta Salad is a quick, vibrant, and flavorful dish perfect for summer meals. It combines crunchy bell peppers, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado cubes, smoky turkey bacon, and a natural zesty dressing made with apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika. This salad offers a refreshing and protein-packed option that is easily customizable to suit various dietary preferences and occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 2 cups medium shell or rotini pasta
- 6 strips smoked turkey bacon, chopped
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 avocado, cubed (plant-based)
Dressing (natural)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.
- Prepare the Turkey Bacon: While the pasta cooks, crisp up the smoked turkey bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once crispy, set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop Fresh Ingredients: Dice the bell peppers, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely slice the red onion, and roughly chop the fresh cilantro. Cube the avocado last to keep it from browning.
- Mix the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, fresh lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to your taste for the perfect zesty balance.
- Combine Everything: In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the veggies, black beans, corn, smoked turkey bacon, and dressing until everything is evenly coated.
- Final Touch: Gently fold in avocado pieces just before serving to maintain creaminess without mashing them.
Notes
- Cook pasta al dente to keep a nice bite and prevent the salad from being mushy.
- Cool pasta before mixing to prevent the dressing from becoming oily and to keep flavors fresh.
- Lightly salt the veggies and beans to enhance overall flavor depth.
- Make the salad a few hours in advance to let flavors meld nicely.
- Add avocado just before serving to avoid browning and maintain texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: thirtyfour g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Southwest Pasta Salad, summer salad, easy pasta salad, smoky turkey bacon salad, gluten free pasta salad, colorful vegetable salad
