Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe

If you are looking for a new and delicious way to make homemade pasta salad, you are going to love this Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe. Perfectly cooked pasta tossed with sweet corn kernels, juicy tomatoes and pinto beans and coated in a simple, homemade smoky chipotle ranch dressing.

Add in a little diced avocado and chopped cilantro and you have the perfect side dish for any meal. It is one of my favorite recipes to make when we are grilling out.

The cold and creamy salad is the perfect compliment to grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken and more! However, it can also be a delicious and filling stand alone meal when you add leftover rotisserie chicken to the bowl as well.

But what I love most about this recipe is how the bold flavors meld together perfectly once chilled. The sweetness and crisp texture of the corn and tomatoes provide the perfect contrast to the tender pasta.

Then add the creaminess of the pinto beans and avocado and your salad is off to the perfect start. But what really sets this pasta salad apart from all the others is the homemade dressing.

The smokiness of the chipotle peppers is complimented by the creamy, tangy base of the dressing. Add in a little dry Ranch seasoning mix and a splash of lime flavor and you have a dressing that is perfect for a bold and flavorful pasta salad.

Homemade Southwest Ranch Dressing

So why make homemade dressing when you can purchase a bottle at your favorite grocery store? There are a couple of reasons that I prefer to make my own.

By far the first reason is the taste. The homemade version is much more flavorful. And you can adapt the recipe to make it exactly how you like it.

For instance, if you want your dressing to have more of a smoky flavor, you can add an additional chipotle pepper. However, when you purchase a bottle at the store, you are stuck with how it tastes.

And speaking of that store bought bottle of dressing, if it isn’t a dressing that you like to use on your fresh garden salad, the remaining dressing in the bottle is at risk of going bad before you can use it all.

This homemade dressing makes a little over 3/4 cup. Once it is used for your Chipotle Ranch Pasta Salad, there are no leftovers to have to store or find a use for.

However, if you love the taste of it, you can actually double the recipe so you can use it on your salad later in the week. Or who knows, you may want to double this pasta salad recipe to share with friends.

Luckily this dressing comes together in a very short amount of time. That is of course with the help of a high speed blender or food processor.

Although if you really want to you can purchase Southwest Ranch Dressing at the grocery store. (Product Affiliate Link: Southwest Ranch Dressing).

Best Pasta To Use For Chipotle Ranch Pasta Salad

For pasta salad recipes, short pasta shapes work the best. You will want to look for pasta that have ridges, edges and/or small openings that allow the pasta to hold onto the other ingredients and one that allows the dressing to easily coat.

After testing this recipe with various types of pasta I found that I prefer the shape and texture of rotini pasta. The ridges have the perfect shelves to hold the ingredients just like they do in my Easy Pasta Salad Recipe.

However, you can use a variety of other pasta as well. Fusilli and cavatappi are both great choices. The curves of the spiral pasta hold both the dressing and bits of vegetables that are scattered throughout.

Although other people also like to use farfalle (bow-tie), penne, small shells, or rotelle (wagon-wheels) as well. Therefore, the choice of the type of pasta that you use really comes down to personal preference.

However, if you are making this Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe for the first time I would highly recommend rotini pasta!

Fresh Corn vs. Frozen Corn

While I take advantage of the availability of fresh corn on the cob in the middle of summer, that isn’t always an option when I am making this Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad out of season.

In that case, it is best to use frozen sweet corn kernels. Simply thaw the corn and toss it in with the other ingredients for a quick and easy substitute. However, I don’t recommend using drained canned corn. The flavor and texture just isn’t the same.

As a general guideline, one ear of sweet corn on the cob generally yields about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of corn kernels once shucked and removed from the cob. Therefore, if a recipe calls for one ear of fresh corn, you can substitute it with approximately 3/4 cup to 1 cup of frozen sweet corn.

How To Serve Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad

Once the salad is made, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This will allow enough time for the pasta salad to become cold.

However, if you are saving it for later in the day or even the next day, do not add the avocado until you are ready to serve. This will help prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown.

In addition, since the pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits in the refrigerator you may need to add a little liquid to loosen up the dressing. In that case, your best option is to stir in a tablespoon of milk or water.

A Word Of Caution About Food Safety

According to the USDA, pasta salad that contains dairy products should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Although if the temperature is above 90°F, the maximum time reduces to one hour.

Therefore be sure to keep the Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then put it back as soon as possible.

Southwest Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ear cooked sweet corn, cut off the cob
• 8 oz. (half a box) medium shell pasta
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/2 packet ranch seasoning mix
• 1 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest plus 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 (7.5-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 medium red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute longer than the package directions for al’dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let the pasta cool completely.

In a blender or large capacity food processor, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, dry ranch seasoning mix, chipotle pepper, lime zest, lime juice, and cumin. Blend or pulse until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl add the cooked and cooled pasta, corn kernels, tomatoes, beans, avocado, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and cheese. Gently toss to mix.

Pour the dressing over top of the ingredients and gently fold until evenly coated.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Serve chilled.

This pasta salad is a fantastic side dish. However, you will have enough leftover to make it a meal. Simply add diced leftover rotisserie chicken and you have a complete and satisfying meal that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Enjoy! Mary

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