Best 7 Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad Recipes

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Indulge in a fiesta of flavors with our enticing Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad. This tantalizing dish is a harmonious blend of zesty spices, succulent grilled chicken, tender pasta, and a medley of vibrant vegetables. Layers of savory black beans, sweet corn, and crisp bell peppers add delightful textures and colors. Drizzled with a tangy cilantro-lime dressing, each bite bursts with a symphony of flavors that will transport you to the vibrant streets of the Southwest. Accompanying this main recipe are a trio of delectable variations: a vegetarian version bursting with grilled vegetables, a creamy avocado ranch dressing for a luscious twist, and a zesty chipotle dressing for a fiery kick. These variations offer a delightful array of options to suit every palate, making this Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad a versatile dish perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a delightful weeknight dinner.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

SOUTHWESTERN LAYERED SALAD



Southwestern Layered Salad image

An old potluck favorite, the layered salad is perfect when spiced up with Southwestern flavors. Lighten up classic mayonnaise-based dressing by swapping in olive oil mayonnaise and nonfat Greek yogurt. Lots of veggies, black beans and a bit of Cheddar cheese add staying power.

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h5m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 large eggs
4 slices center-cut bacon
1/4 cup plus 3/4 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, ribs removed, seeded and sliced across in 1/4-inch rings
One 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked corn kernels
2 ounces shredded Cheddar

Steps:

  • Place the eggs in a large pot and fill with cold water; bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and cover the pot for 10 minutes. Drain and then submerge the eggs in cold water. Peel, slice and set aside.
  • Lay the bacon on a paper-towel-lined microwave-safe plate. Cover with another paper towel. Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Crumble or cut the bacon into small pieces.
  • To make the dressing, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice and cayenne together.
  • Line the bottom of four serving bowls with the lettuce. Layer the red pepper rings, crumbled bacon, black beans, sliced egg and corn in each bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and sprinkle the cheese on top. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

7-LAYER PASTA SALAD



7-Layer Pasta Salad image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Kosher salt
8 ounces farfalle (about 2 cups)
2 stalks broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lime
Freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados, diced
One 12-ounce piece deli ham, diced (about 2 cups)
8 ounces yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 small head romaine lettuce, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (about 2 minutes less than the label directs), adding the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli and rinse under cool water; shake off the excess. Remove the broccoli and pat dry.
  • Whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, 1/4 cup chives, the parsley, half of the lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Toss the pasta and a few tablespoons of the dressing in a medium bowl.
  • Assemble the salad: Toss the avocados with the remaining lime juice in a large glass serving bowl and season with salt; arrange in an even layer. Top with layers of the ham, broccoli, pasta, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle some of the remaining dressing on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon chives, or cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing separately up to 6 hours. (Bring to room temperature before serving.)

SOUTHWEST LAYERED SALAD



Southwest Layered Salad image

This salad is very pretty when served in a large bowl, and is bursting with lots of fresh flavors. You can spice it up by substituting jalapeno peppers for the chile peppers. The dressing is fabulous for all types of salads.

Provided by Anne Z.

Categories     Salad     Vegetable Salad Recipes

Time 25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley Ranch®)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup fat-free plain yogurt
½ (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix, or more to taste
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 roasted red peppers, diced
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can white corn, drained
¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 large avocado - peeled, pitted, and sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

  • Mix dressing mix, buttermilk, yogurt, and taco seasoning mix together in a mixing bowl.
  • Line a large serving bowl with the torn lettuce.
  • Mix roasted peppers, black beans, corn, onion, and green chiles together in a bowl. Spread mixture over the lettuce. Top with tomatoes; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Arrange avocado slices in an overlapping circle. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with dressing on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 255.3 calories, Carbohydrate 33.2 g, Cholesterol 10.9 mg, Fat 9.1 g, Fiber 8.4 g, Protein 11.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 1213.2 mg, Sugar 8.3 g

LAYERED PASTA SALAD RECIPE



Layered Pasta Salad Recipe image

Love every layer equally with our make-ahead Layered Pasta Salad Recipe. Pile on ham, cheese, tomatoes and onions in this simple Layered Pasta Salad Recipe that's perfect for your next barbecue or picnic!

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Side Dish Recipes

Time 3h20m

Yield 12 servings, 1 cup each

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 cups medium pasta shells, cooked, drained
1 large red onion, sliced
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas, thawed, drained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Smoked Ham, chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise
1/2 cup KRAFT Classic Ranch Dressing
1 cup KRAFT Natural Three Cheese Crumbles
1 cup halved grape tomatoes

Steps:

  • Layer first 4 ingredients in 3-qt. bowl.
  • Mix mayo and dressing until blended; spread over salad, sealing to edge of bowl. Top with cheese and tomatoes.
  • Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Toss gently before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 260, Fat 14 g, SaturatedFat 3.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Sodium 420 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 9 g

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA SALAD



Southwestern Pasta Salad image

I created this southwestern pasta salad for a friend who owns a catering business. I was told it was a hit at her events and it's now among the most-requested dishes. -Valonda Seward, Coarsegold, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 18

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon salsa
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (16 ounces) uncooked spiral or cavatappi pasta
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, whisk the first 8 ingredients until blended. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water., In a large bowl, mix pasta, corn, beans, tomatoes, olives, peppers, onion and 1/4 cup cilantro. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving., Just before serving, top with avocado and the remaining cilantro.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 203 calories, Fat 6g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 191mg sodium, Carbohydrate 32g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

LAYERED SOUTHWESTERN PASTA SALAD



Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad image

This always goes over very well when I've taken this to pot-lucks. I use low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream, so it makes a healthy, and flavorful dish. In a clear straight-sided bowl, this makes a nice colorful presentation.

Provided by Beth A.

Categories     Low Cholesterol

Time 20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

8 ounces medium pasta shells, uncooked
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt, to taste
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
3/4 cup green onion, sliced
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced

Steps:

  • Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again.
  • Toss with oil and sprinkle with cumin; salt to taste.
  • Layer pasta, beans, corn, bell pepper, green onion and olives in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart straight sided bowl.
  • In a small bowl combine mayo, sour cream and salsa; mix well. Spread evenly over top of pasta, sealing to edge of bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro.
  • (Best if refrigerated several hours, or overnight before serving.).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 475.2, Fat 18.1, SaturatedFat 4.6, Cholesterol 16.1, Sodium 621.5, Carbohydrate 67.3, Fiber 9.9, Sugar 5.7, Protein 14.4

SOUTHWEST LAYERED PASTA SALAD



Southwest Layered Pasta Salad image

After the popularity of my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (Thank you, JAP chefs!), I thought I'd develop another salad dish, this time with a Southwestern tang. As always, choose the ingredients your family loves and realize that the amounts are always your choice. I'm just going to list what I do and give you some more options. ...

Provided by Fran Miller

Categories     Chicken Salads

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 17

some pasta; cooked, rinsed in cool water, drained (wagon wheel pasta is a nice touch) 1/2 pound of uncooked pasta makes enough for 4-6 servings
some salad dressing (ranch or chipotle ranch are my favorites)
some shredded or chopped lettuce
some tomato chunks
some sliced black olives
some chopped onion
some chopped peppers (green, jalapeno, etc...)
some cooked corn, drained & cooled
some black beans; cooked, rinsed in cool water, & drained
some shredded or small chunks of cheese (pepper jack, colby jack, cheddar, etc...)
some crumbled fritos
OTHER OPTIONS TO CONSIDER...
some chicken strips or chunks, seasoned with southwestern spices
some salsa
some sour cream
some crumbled bacon or bacon bits
some ranch-flavored croutons, instead of crumbled fritos

Steps:

  • 1. While pasta is cooking, prepare your chopped vegetables. If using canned corn or black beans, just rinse & drain well. Cover & refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad.
  • 2. Mix the drained & cooled pasta with some of the salad dressing. Cover and refrigerate if you are not ready to eat.
  • 3. When it's time for dinner, layer the pasta, then the vegetables, in a large pasta bowl or individual salad plates.
  • 4. Top with crumbled Fritos and shredded cheese.
  • 5. Decisions, decisions... Will you top with more salad dressing or possibly salsa & sour cream?
  • 6. Whatever you decide, enjoy!

Tips:

  • Choose the freshest ingredients possible. This will ensure that your pasta salad is flavorful and delicious.
  • Don't overcook the pasta. Al dente pasta is the best choice for pasta salad, as it will hold its shape and won't become mushy.
  • Let the pasta cool completely before assembling the salad. This will prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing and becoming soggy.
  • Use a variety of vegetables. This will add color, flavor, and texture to your pasta salad.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different dressings. There are many different types of dressings that can be used for pasta salad, so find one that you like and that complements the other ingredients.

Conclusion:

Layered Southwestern Pasta Salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or any other summer gathering. With its vibrant colors and bold flavors, this salad is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a new pasta salad recipe, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed!

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