Southwest Pasta Salad

Southwest Pasta Salad

Combine summer grilling and Sunday meal prep with this southwest pasta salad! Use leftover grilled corn, peppers and jalapeños for a healthy weekday lunch. Recipe provided by Jill Silverman Hough


  • prep
  • cook
  • 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ear corn

  • 1 red bell pepper

  • 1 yellow bell pepper

  • 2 jalapeño peppers

  • 3 limes

  • 8 ounces fusilli pasta, or other favorite shape

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 cups diced or shredded rotisserie chicken (optional)

  • 1 cup or 1 3.8-ounce can drained Lindsay® Black Ripe Olives - Sliced

  • 1 cup or 1 8.5-ounce jar drained California Sun-Dry® Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes

  • 1 cup crumbled queso fresco

  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

  • Salt, to taste


Cooking Directions

  1. Carefully peel husk back from corn. Remove silks, then fold husks back over kernels.

  2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until speckled brown and heated through, 10 to 12 minutes. If you prefer, you can cook the corn on the stovetop—shuck it, then cook it in boiling water until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

  3. Grill bell peppers and jalapeños, turning occasionally, until well charred, 12 to 18 minutes for bell peppers and 10 to 12 minutes for jalapeños. You can also char the bell peppers and jalapeños on a gas stovetop. Sit them over a medium flame directly on the grate, and cook, turning occasionally, until charred all over, 8 to 12 minutes for the bell peppers and 6 to 8 minutes for the jalapeños.

  4. Set corn, bell peppers, and jalapeños aside until cool enough to handle.

  5. Meanwhile, zest 2 limes, then squeeze zested limes to yield 3 tablespoons juice. Cut remaining lime into wedges. Set zest, juice, and wedges aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, transfer to large bowl and toss with lime zest, lime juice, and oil; set aside to cool.

  6. Remove husks from corn and cut kernels from cob. Add to bowl with pasta.

  7. Use your fingers to wipe most of charred skin from bell peppers and jalapeños, then cut or tear in half; discard core and seeds. Slice bell peppers and jalapeños and add to bowl with pasta.

  8. Add remaining ingredients and toss well; add salt to taste. Serve with lime wedges along side.


Nutrition

  • Calories549
  • Fat31g
  • Protein23g
  • Cholesterol48mg
  • Total Carbs53g
  • Fiber3g

Percent (%) Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs.