Mexican Macaroni Salad

I was not prepared for just how much we loved this Mexican macaroni salad. Sure, I looked at the ingredient list and thought “Hey, that’ll be good”. But I didn’t think it’d be absolutely fantastic. But it was.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword pasta, salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 420kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Ree Drummond

Ingredients

For the salad

1 pound elbow macaroni or whatever pasta you prefer
vegetable oil
2 ears sweet corn
15 ounces black beans drained, rinsed
½ cup black olives finely chopped
6 Roma tomatoes chopped
3 green onions thinly sliced (plus more for garnish, if desired)
½ medium red onion finely diced
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese cubed (use pepperjack for a bit of a kick!)

For the dressing

1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon cumin
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

For the salad

Cook the pasta per package instructions. Drain but do not rinse.
Meanwhile, roast the corn. Brush lightly with oil and place on a hot grill or under a broiler, rotating often until lightly browned and cooked.
Let the corn cool slightly before cutting the kernels off the ears. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the beans, olives, tomatoes, green onion, red onion and cheese, if using. Toss gently to mix.
Add the dressing and cooking pasta and stir gently to coat.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional green onions if desired. Note: If the salad is too thick, stir in some more salsa or mayonnaise before serving.

For the dressing

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl.

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