Easy Mexican Pasta Salad with Chile Lime Dressing

How a happy experiment led to this Easy Mexican Pasta Salad with Chile Lime Dressing…

One of the things I love most about writing this food blog is that I get to try foods I’ve never had before. So when Hodgson Mill sent me boxes of their new Whole Wheat pasta to experiment with for their Summer Pastabilities contest, I couldn’t wait to start playing with it!

I have to admit that up to this point, I haven’t been a huge fan of  whole grain pastas and I’ve tried quite a few – they were either tough or doughy or just downright unappealing so I was a little skeptical. But this pasta is  different –  tender and flavorful, with just a hint of nuttiness – in short,  it’s delicious!!

After narrowing down my ideas I decided to try my hand at a pasta salad – another dish that isn’t always high on my “favorites” list despite the fact that I  love pasta. My objection? For the most part I’ve found them to be bland and well.. boring, which is a shame, since pasta salads are perfect for summer eating and are a great choice for  picnics, barbeques and potlucks.

Since I love the flavors of chile, lime and tomatoes I thought that would be a great base to start from – and if my “taste testers” are to be believed, I was right. To add a bit more flavor, I roasted corn, tomatoes and peppers  and then added a little avocado and sliced green onion, finishing it all off with a  zesty lime and chile dressing . Now this is a mexican pasta salad!!!

I was compensated by Hodgson Mill for this recipe but as always, all opinions stated are entirely my own.

Mexican Pasta Salad

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 8 - 10 servings

Author: Nancy Buchanan

Ingredients

• 1 – 10 oz. box Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pasta – bowtie or medium shells
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 3 quarts water
• 2 ears of fresh corn kernels cut off the cob
• 6 roma tomatoes cored and cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 large orange bell pepper seeded and cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 large avocado peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch dice
• 3 scallions sliced ¼ inch thick
• ¼ cup minced cilantro
• 3 Tbsp. corn oil
• Corn Strip garnish optional_
• 2 small corn torillas cut into 1/8 inch strips (optional)
• 1 cup canola oil optional
• Dressing:
• Juice of two limes
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
• ½ - 1 jalepeno seeded and minced
• ¼ tsp. chile powder
• large pinch of salt
• ¾ cup corn oil

Instructions

• Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the chicken stock and water in a large saucepan or stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and stir until the water is boiling vigorously. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes until desired tenderness. Drain pasta and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, combine the corn, tomatoes and bell pepper on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle with the 3 Tbsp. corn oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for 15 – 20 minutes until vegetables are nicely browned. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
• To make the dressing, combine the lime juice, white wine vinegar, jalepeno, agave nectar, chile powder and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the corn oil. Set dressing aside.
• Corn strip garnish (optional): Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. When oil just begins to simmer, drop one of the tortilla strips in the oil. Cook for 2 minutes until nicely browned. If browning too quickly, reduce heat. Add the tortilla strips in small batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Using a slotted spoon, remove the strips from the oil and drain on several layers of paper towels. Dust with chile powder and salt while still warm. Set aside.
• To make the salad, place the pasta in a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables and drizzle the dressing on. Toss to thoroughly mix and taste, adding more dressing if desired.
• Gently mix in the avocado, scallions and cilantro. Garnish with the tortilla strips if using.

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