This cilantro lime pasta salad is loaded with fresh veggies, avocado, and black beans, all tossed in my creamy cilantro lime dressing! It’s quick, easy, healthy, and a great potluck or barbecue idea!
Cilantro lime pasta salad is the perfect summer salad! Pasta salads are super satisfying, but some recipes leave a lot to be desired in the nutrition department. Not this one! This recipe is chock full of colourful veggies, black beans, and my tangy cilantro lime dressing with Greek yogurt.
It is the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or barbecue and pairs beautifully with grilled fish, chicken, steak, or baked crispy tofu or chili lime tofu.
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Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities.
- Pasta: Rotini, fusilli, and penne are all good choices.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: Juicy grape tomatoes are a pasta salad staple.
- Bell pepper: Red, yellow, or orange bell pepper provide crunch and freshness.
- Black beans: For added fibre, folate, and texture.
- Avocados: Rich and creamy avocados are a great addition to a cilantro lime pasta salad.
- Cilantro: A handful of finely chopped fresh cilantro adds some extra freshness and colour.
- Cilantro Lime Dressing with Greek Yogurt: The pasta salad is tossed with a cool, creamy, tangy cilantro lime dressing.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, pepper, cilantro, black beans, and avocado.
- Step 2: Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine.
Hint: If serving immediately, pour all of the dressing over the salad. If not, reserve about ½ cup for tossing in right before serving. Because pasta absorbs the dressing so quickly, saving some dressing to add right before serving helps ensure that the salad is moist and flavourful.
Substitutions and Variations
If you know how to make the recipe fit a certain diet, let the reader know here. Don’t fake it – only provide guidance on topics you have actual experience with.
- Black Beans: Instead of black beans, you can use pinto beans or kidney beans.
- Vegan: To make this vegan, follow the instructions provided in the cilantro lime dressing recipe, which are to swap the Greek yogurt for dairy-free Greek yogurt, tahini, or avocado, and the honey for maple syrup.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta.
- Add red onion and corn: In the interest of keeping ingredients to a minimum, I did not include red onion or corn, but if you would like to add them, please do!
- Mediterranean Variation: Swap out the cilantro for a combination of basil and parsley, and use chickpeas instead of black beans. Add chopped cucumber, feta, and sliced Kalamata olives and/or sun-dried tomatoes, if desired.
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Equipment
You’ll need a blender to make the cilantro lime dressing, as well as a large bowl for mixing up the salad.
Storage
Store cilantro lime pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. As time goes on, the dressing will get absorbed by the pasta, so you will need to revive the flavours by adding additional lime juice and salt. Also, the avocado will turn brown after a day or so. Pick out those pieces and add fresh avocado to leftovers!
Serving Suggestions
This pasta salad pairs well with grilled chicken, seafood, or steak. It also goes well with this chili lime tofu for a plant-based meal.
FAQ
Yes, you can prepare the cilantro lime dressing up to two days in advance and you can chop the vegetables and cook the pasta one day in advance.
Unfortunately, you cannot freeze pasta salad. It can become mushy after it thaws.
Related
Looking for other recipes with cilantro? Try these:
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Print
Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 oz short cut pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne), cooked and cooled
- 1 ½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans (from 1 14-oz can)
- 1–2 avocados, pitted and diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, pepper, black beans, avocado, and cilantro.
- Add the cilantro lime dressing and toss to coat.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If serving immediately, pour all of the dressing over the salad. If not, reserve about ½ cup for tossing in right before serving. Because pasta absorbs the dressing so quickly, saving some dressing to add right before serving helps ensure that the salad is moist and flavourful.
This salad keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. As time goes on, the avocado will turn brown, so you might want to pick it out and add fresh avocado when you serve leftovers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th of recipe
- Calories: 487
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 472.6 mg
- Fat: 26.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.1 g
- Fiber: 10.2 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
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