Recipes

[kate2357]

This is an easy pasta salad recipe that can also be tweaked to make it your own with a different cheese (I'm thinking pepperjack cheese), more veggies, different small pasta (say orzo), maybe some sliced jalapenos. The dressing is nice and light w/ a bit of heat. 

Southwest Pasta Salad - From Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
8 oz small pasta
1 small red onion, diced (about ½ cup)
3 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed (frozen or can corn works)
2.25 ounces sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large avocado, pit removed and chopped
1/3 cup Cotija cheese

For the dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil, can use avocado oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, about 4 limes
1 teaspoon honey
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse well to cool.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the onion, tomatoes, pepper, corn, and olives in a large mixing bowl.

In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Add the cooked pasta to the bowl with the vegetables, and pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Stir until all of the ingredients are well coated. Sprinkle cilantro over the pasta and stir again. Cover with a lid and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Add avocado and cheese right before serving and gently stir.

[Sooner]

@kate2357 Exactly what we would do!  More veggies the better.  And sometimes you can just use the lemon juice and cut back on the olive oil a lot.  Sometimes the pasta gets left out here.  But I LOVE this recipe!  

[Spacrazy]

Thanks again @kate2357 . My favorite dish is and always has been "noodle salad" but never had this particular twist on it. Gonna make this today. Just keep your fab recipes coming - I appreciate your help.

[Kachina624]

My kind of salad @kate2357.  Will tuck this away and bring it out for summer.  A big bowl ought to last me a week.  Thanks for posting. 

[kate2357]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

My kind of salad @kate2357.  Will tuck this away and bring it out for summer.  A big bowl ought to last me a week.  Thanks for posting. 

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@Kachina624 

I was thinking of you when I posted this ... it seemed like a salad you would like.

[Kachina624]

@kate2357    I zoomed right in on it. Thanks again. 

[Carmie]

Yum, that looks delicious....minus the cilantro.

I am going file this recipe away for summer.

thanks for posting.

[kate2357]

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@Carmie wrote:

Yum, that looks delicious....minus the cilantro.

I am going file this recipe away for summer.

thanks for posting.

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 @Carmie 

I hope you like the salad when/if you make it. 

[Lilysmom1]

@kate2357 , this looks delicious!  Copying for use later.  Thank you!  LM