Description
Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad is a bold, colorful twist on the classic Southwestern dip—transformed into a hearty, satisfying salad. Packed with black beans, sweet corn, bell peppers, and crispy bacon, it’s all brought together with creamy dressing and tossed with rotini pasta for a delightful crunch in every bite. Ideal for BBQs, meal prep, or potluck parties, this dish is as easy as it is delicious.
Ingredients
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned sweet corn, drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
3/4 cup ranch or Southwest-style dressing
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Boil rotini pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. While the pasta cooks, dice the red and orange bell peppers, finely chop the red onion, and rinse/drain the black beans and corn.
3. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then place on paper towels. Once cool, crumble it.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta with black beans, corn, peppers, red onion, and chopped herbs.
5. Add the dressing, chili powder, and cumin. Stir gently to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Fold in the crumbled bacon just before serving to retain crispness.
7. Chill the salad for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Notes
Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to enhance flavor and texture.
For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon or use roasted chickpeas for crunch.
Adjust spice by adding jalapeños or hot sauce for a bolder kick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiled and Mixed
- Cuisine: American / Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Cowboy caviar, pasta salad, black bean salad, summer BBQ sides