Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad

Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad

A cool and creamy pasta salad with a southwestern kick!
Southwest Pasta Salad | The Chef Next Door
This post is sponsored by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. All opinions are my own.  

The beginning of June not only signals the start of summer, but it also kicks off BBQ and picnic season! If your family is anything like mine, many weekends will be spent on the grill flipping some burgers or dogs, or maybe even at the beach or the park with a picnic basket in tow. 

We all have our favorite dishes to whip up for these occasions, but it's nice to have a few new recipes as well. That's where my Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad comes in. My kids love pasta salad, but I always made it the traditional way, Italian style. I decided to switch things up on them with this version, made with a yogurt dressing instead of oil, and filled with lots of great veggies and protein. 

June is also National Dairy Month, so it was a perfect time for me to develop a new dairy recipe! I made the dressing with plain Greek yogurt, which makes it tangy, extra creamy and just downright good.

Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe written by The Chef Next Door
Serves 8
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Ingredients:
1 lb. Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, thaw completely)
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

For the Dressing:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing.  Place all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined; set aside. 

When the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse under cold water. Add the drained pasta to a large bowl, then add in the corn, black beans, tomatoes and red pepper. Gently combine everything. 

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Chill the pasta salad for at least one hour before serving.

Bon Appetit!
Southwest Pasta Salad | The Chef Next Door


A big thanks to the United Dairy Industry of Michigan for sponsoring this post! I was compensated for developing a recipe using Michigan dairy products, however, all opinions are my own. UDIM is the umbrella organization for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of Michigan. Their goal is to promote Michigan’s locally produced dairy products and reconnect consumers with the people behind their food.

For more great dairy recipes, follow UDIM, branded as Milk Means More, on Pinterest. To learn more about nutrition, animal care/well-being and on-farm practices related to dairy products and the dairy industry, you may want to follow Milk Means More on Facebook. You can also follow them on Twitter and YouTube

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