Cowboy pasta salad features lots of veggies and black beans in a creamy BBQ dressing. It is a great summer side dish, but also works as main if you are looking for something cool and fresh.
Pasta salads and summer go hand in hand. They are perfect because they are served cold which is always nice when the weather is hot.
Plus they are made ahead of time, which is great for when you are busy. They are great for potlucks, BBQs, picnics and more.
I love making a batch of pasta salad on Sunday and taking it to work with me for a great brown bag lunch. That is exactly what I did with this cowboy pasta salad.
It is basically a mix of my BBQ ranch pasta salad and my cowboy chopped salad, so I knew I would love it. If you are like my mom, you might have second thoughts about adding BBQ sauce to the dressing.
Just give it a try, you will be won over just like she was! The benefit to this pasta salad over the green salad version is that you don’t have to worry about the greens wilting when you make a big batch.
As written, this recipe makes a great side dish or lunch. If you want to add some more protein to make it a main dish, there are so many great options to do that.
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Here are a few ideas:
- More black beans
- Hard boiled eggs
- Diced cooked chicken (this would be a great use for leftover BBQ chicken!)
- Crumbled cooked bacon
Or add whatever you would like. That is one of the great things about pasta salads.
They are super simple to modify to accommodate your preferences. Feel free to switch up the mix-ins and make it your own!
Just promise me that you won’t sleep on this salad. It is a must make recipe!
Cowboy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- ½ cup green pepper diced
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- ¼ cup pickled jalapenos optional
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro optional
- 12 oz frozen corn
- 15.25 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Boil 16 oz pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup BBQ sauce, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Add the pasta and toss to coat.
- Make sure all of the veggies are chopped into bite sized pieces or smaller. If using cilantro, run your knife through it a few times to cut into small pieces.
- Stir the chopped 1 pint grape tomatoes, ½ cup green pepper, ½ cup sweet onion¼ cup pickled jalapenos, ½ bunch fresh cilantro, 12 oz frozen corn, 15.25 oz can black beans, and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheeseinto the pasta salad.
- Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Stir before serving.
Notes
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