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Easy Mexican Macaroni Salad

What says “summer” more than a macaroni salad? This Mexican macaroni salad recipe is perfect for any occasion, but especially as a perfect side dish to take on a picnic, July 4th get-together, potluck, or just a beautiful summer evening meal out on the back patio.

mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

Obviously, this cold pasta salad can be served at any season for any occasion and is such a crowd pleaser!

This delicious, but easy pasta salad, is a combination of bold, zesty, and spicy flavors, and will be a great addition to your recipe book for the summer months.

Summer salad is always so delicious with traditional summer meals such as fried chicken or barbecued hamburgers, fruit salad, and corn on the cob!

I have some other summer recipes that you can try, including my zesty spaghetti pasta salad and my classic red skin potato salad.

mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

What is Mexican Macaroni Salad?

This Mexican pasta salad recipe is a wonderful blend of cooked macaroni, black beans, sweet corn, black olives, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh cilantro, and a creamy dressing.

It is a great side dish to serve cold, with all the flavors and creamy textures blending together.

If you are a fan of Mexican flavored dishes, you will really like this Mexican macaroni pasta salad!

mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This is a simple summer salad recipe that’s great to take with you to an event because it travels really well.
  • It is a very versatile recipe with a variety of additional ingredients you can add.
  • This simple recipe will feed a lot of people with minimal effort required to make it.
  • Mexican pasta salad is fun to serve alongside other traditional Mexican recipes!
  • Many of these ingredients can be found in your pantry, and some of them can come out of your own garden!
  • You can also serve this great recipe as a main course, and you can add grilled chicken for extra flavor and protein.
  • It’s also yummy served the next day!

Tell Me About This Mexican Macaroni Salad

  • Taste– Spicy, tangy, savory, and even sweet all describe this delicious salad.
  • Texture– There are a variety of textures in this salad, with crunchy vegetables and creamy dressing mixed together.
  • Ease– This recipe only requires boiling a pot of noodles, cutting a few veggies, tossing the ingredients, and mixing them in a large bowl!
  • Time– This recipe only requires about 15-20 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients for pasta salad on a cutting board.

Ingredients for Mexican Macaroni Salad

Pasta Salad

  • Macaroni Pasta– Elbow macaroni is the substance of this recipe.
  • Canned Sweet Corn– This ingredient gives the recipe a wonderful and sweet crunch!
  • Canned Black Beans– Mexican dishes often use black beans.
  • Red Onion– These onions provide a spicy and crunchy flavor.
  • Green Onions– Green onions have a milder flavor and add more deliciousness to the pasta salad.
  • Orange Bell Pepper– Crunchy, sweet, and wonderfully delicious peppers are a great addition to any pasta salad.
  • Black Olives– Black olives are slightly salty and a good complement to the other spicy and sweet ingredients.
  • Roma Tomatoes– Fresh tomatoes are good in any type of salad and add beautiful color to the pasta.
  • Fresh Cilantro– Lemony and peppery describe the flavor of this fresh herb.

Mexican Pasta Salad Dressing

  • Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream– The yogurt or sour cream provides the basis for the dressing and make it super creamy.
  • Salsa– Spicy and tangy salsa makes all the difference in the taste of the dressing.
  • Minced Garlic– Garlic, because everyone loves garlic!
  • Chili Powder– The chili powder adds extra spiciness to the dressing.
  • Cumin– Cumin adds a warm flavor and is commonly used in spicier recipes.
  • Lime Juice– Lime juice adds a delicious twist and tang to the macaroni salad.
mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

Make Mexican Macaroni Salad in 4 Easy Steps

  1. Saute corn– Sauté the corn in a medium skillet until it is charred.
  2. Cook pasta– Follow package directions to cook pasta until al denté. This means that when you bite into it, it is still firm, not squishy and overcooked. Drain pasta.
  3. Add rest of ingredients– Add all of the ingredients to the al denté pasta and toss gently.
  4. Make dressing– Whisk all dressing ingredients until smooth in a small bowl and then pour dressing mixture into the salad bowl and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Add ins for a mexican pasta salad.

Variations or Substitutions for Mexican Macaroni Salad

  • Fresh Corn– You can use corn on the cob and grill it until slightly charred. Then when cooled, you can cut the corn off of the cob.
  • Gluten-Free Pasta– Gluten free pasta can be used instead of regular pasta and are a good substitute.
  • Green Olives– If you prefer green olives or do not have black olives, you may substitute.

Tips for the Best Mexican Macaroni Salad

  • For best results, do not overcook or undercook the pasta.
  • Do not rinse the pasta because the starch on the pasta helps the dressing to stick to the noodles.
  • You can soak the red onion in cold water for about 15 minutes if you would like it to be less pungent.
  • Make sure you use a large bowl for the pasta salad as there are a lot of ingredients used in this recipe.
  • Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least an hour so that all the ingredients have a chance to marinade together.

Add-Ins for Mexican Macaroni Salad

  • Grilled Chicken– This is a great way to add extra protein and make the meal more filling, especially if you would like it to be your main dish.
  • Ham– Cube the ham and add it to the salad for a heartier meal.
  • Shrimp– This is a more unique protein that you can add to the pasta!
  • Steak– Everyone loves steak, so if you have leftover steak, use it in the pasta and everyone will love it!
  • Avocado– Avocado tastes great in Mexican salads, or any other salads for that matter. Just be sure to slice it up and add it at the last minute so that it doesn’t get brown.
  • Jalapeños– If your family likes spicy flavors, then go ahead and add them to the salad!
  • Pineapple– Pineapple tastes fresh and sweet. Make sure you drain it well if you use canned.
  • Black Pepper– If you would like, pepper always adds nice spiciness to a recipe.
  • Grated Cheddar Cheese– Cheese is delicious in Mexican dishes.
mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

How to Store Leftover Mexican Macaroni Salad

Store leftover Mexican Macaroni Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Mexican macaroni salad be frozen?

It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. However, thaw it in the refrigerator because the consistency may change with the sour cream or Greek yogurt. It is best if refrigerated.

Can this pasta be made ahead of time?

Yes, it can! It actually tastes great the next day!

Mexican Macaroni Salad Recipe

mexican macaroni pasta salad in a large bowl with limes.

Mexican Macaroni Salad

Liz Quick
What says "summer" more than a macaroni salad? This Mexican macaroni salad recipe is perfect for any occasion, but especially as a perfect side dish to take on a picnic, July 4th get-together, potluck, or just a beautiful summer evening meal out on the back patio.
Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 10 people
Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 skillet medium
  • 1 serving bowl large
  • 1 bowl small
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 stirring spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16 oz macaroni pasta
  • 1 can sweet corn drained
  • 1 can black beans (15.5 oz) rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup red onion diced
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 1 orange bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup black olives diced
  • 2 roma tomatoes diced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Dressing

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
  • ½ cup salsa
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 juice of limes

Instructions
 

  • Sauté the canned corn in a medium skillet over medium-high heat to char the outside of the corn. Drain the corn and pat it dry with a paper towel before dumping into a non-oiled skillet. Watch the corn carefully and stir it every 3-4 minutes until charred. Set aside.
  • Cook your pasta according to the directions until al denté. Drain and add to a large serving bowl.
  • Add in the rest of the salad ingredients-black beans, red onion, green onions, black olives, tomatoes, cilantro, and corn. Toss gently.
  • In a small bowl, whisk your dressing ingredients until smooth.
  • Pour the dressing ingredients into the salad bowl and toss until evenly coated. Chill for 1 hour and serve.

Notes

  • For best results, do not overcook or undercook the pasta.
  • Do not rinse the pasta because the starch on the pasta helps the dressing to stick to the noodles.
  • You can soak the red onion in cold water for about 15 minutes if you would like it to be less pungent.
  • Make sure you use a large bowl for the pasta salad as there are a lot of ingredients used in this recipe.
  • Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least an hour so that all the ingredients have a chance to marinade together.
Keyword Mexican Macaroni Salad

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