Rotini Pasta Salad With Black Beans

Pasta salad with black beans and cherry tomatoes.

Rotini Pasta Salad With Black Beans

A Southwestern pasta salad that you'll devour all Summer. Goes great with any grill or bbq entree.

Course Pasta Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings

Calories 501kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

1 pound Rotini Pasta
½ Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup BBQ Sauce
½ Cup Ranch Dressing
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
14.5 ounce Can Black Beans Drained and rinsed
1 sweet onion chopped
2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes halved
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook Pasta according to directions on package. Before draining, reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta liquid.
In the meantime combine Sour Cream, BBQ Sauce, Homemade Ranch Dressing, Mayonnaise, Black Beans, onion, tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Drain pasta and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Add to the salad ingredients and stir to combine. Pour in the pasta water until the pasta seems creamy. I usually use about ½ cup or a little more.

Notes

This Southwest Pasta Salad is a perfect make-ahead pasta salad. It's one of those dishes that tastes better the next day. It will keep in the refrigerator, well sealed, for three to 4 days.

Pro Tip: Why is pasta water good for pasta sauce? Don't throw all of that pasta cooking liquid down the drain, It’s liquid gold. It’s a must to add to any sauce for any pasta dish. It’s high in starch and this salty starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta while helping to thicken the sauce. It turns any pasta dish into a luxurious pasta dish.

Variations:

Add 1 cup of sweet corn. Use frozen (that's been thawed) or canned.
To heat things up, add a 4 ounce can of chopped green chile peppers.
Add 1 avocado that's been chopped.
Add 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese.

Nutrition