A colorful and simple little side dish that has been a big hit at potlucks and picnics. It is easy to prepare, healthy and delicious!
I made this today and it was very good - with my changes. I used 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin and chili powder as others noted it had too much cumin and tasted like chili. I also used Hiden Valley Spicey Ranch dressing instead of italian. WoW! yummy! I didn't have tomatoes so I used a LARGE can of diced tomatoes - drained and rinsed lightly. Definately would make again!
Read MoreI think this is a nice salad, however, I did not care for the cumin too much, thus the 3-star rating. My husband and I both felt that its taste was almost overpowering the other ingredients. I will probably try this again, but either without the cumin or with a lot less. My tip: Try to add a little at a time and see how you like it...
Read MoreI made this today and it was very good - with my changes. I used 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin and chili powder as others noted it had too much cumin and tasted like chili. I also used Hiden Valley Spicey Ranch dressing instead of italian. WoW! yummy! I didn't have tomatoes so I used a LARGE can of diced tomatoes - drained and rinsed lightly. Definately would make again!
This recipe rescued me in a pinch! It was 11:00pm and I forgot that I had to bring a dish to pass for the next day! This was so simple, I literally threw it together in minutes! I didn't have onion or garlic powder, so I used 1 garlic clove (pressed) and 2 green onions (chopped). It tasted great and looked beautiful! I normally have a very sensative palate when it comes to Mexican flavoring...the milder, the better. With that in mind, I felt that the cumin in this was right on. (I even used the red pepper!) It has a really great "Mexican" flavor that is not overpowering. I will definately keep this and the ingredients on hand to make VERY often! It was also a big hit at the meeting! I even got approval from my Hispanic friend! Thanks for the recipe! :o)
I think this is a nice salad, however, I did not care for the cumin too much, thus the 3-star rating. My husband and I both felt that its taste was almost overpowering the other ingredients. I will probably try this again, but either without the cumin or with a lot less. My tip: Try to add a little at a time and see how you like it...
Really great salad! Quick to put together--I made several changes--copied from some of the other raters. Used elbow macaroni, used the canned diced petite tomatoes, cut down on a cumin just a little, used salad supreme instead of garlic powder, simply because I didn't have any garlic powder. I used lots of italian dressing and let it sit overnight. The dressing soaks in alot and it turned out perfect. I also used frozen corn instead of canned, had a really nice crush.
This was very yummy!!! I used a bit less cumin and added some homemade salsa. Very good and VERY EASY to make!
Made this recipe up for a family picnic. My family really liked it! It was easy to make! I changed the receipe reducing the cumin to 1/2 tsp, add 2 Tbsp salas seasoning, used a whole box of cooked shells, and 1/2 bottle of Italian Dressing. Will make this receipe again!
This was a delicious salad. I changed a couple things, but not too dramatic. I added only half the cumin as others had suggested. I thought it was just the right amount. I also added a can of diced tomatoes instead of the three tomatoes. In addition I added a can of sliced black olives. I also chopped about a half of a small white onion and added it. It turned out well. This was great with tortilla chips. I will definitely make this again.
Was a MAJOR hit with the family. Has a Tex-Mex Southwestern flavor. Try adding chopped onion, salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.
Great flavorful bean and pasta salad. I remove the chili powder as it does not agree with me and I use only 1 can of beans. The cumin is the catch to making it great!
I'm only going to give 4 stars because I did change it a bit... I packed it up for hubby's lunch, so I'll revise the starts if he says he wants me to make it again. I cut the recipe in half because I wasn't sure if we'd want it for leftovers for the next week. I just made it up and served it, without letting it chill and meld for a while, so I'm sure it would have been better. I added a chopped red pepper, and we used cilantro, and squeezed a couple of lime wedges over it. Oh, and I used about twice as much dressing because it seemed a little dry......
This is a great recipe to make quickly then take to work all week. I omitted the cumin entirely and it still had great southwest flavor. I also used spiral pasta and fat free Italian dressing to make it more healthy. A fun colorful dish.
I liked this one! I didn't have all the ingredients the recipe called for but did what I had and it was great! I gave it a 4 star rating only because I couldn't make it exactly to the recipe.
I thought this was tasty and wholesome as an different type of side dish. I'll make this when my vegetarian nieces visit. I used whole wheat pasta to make it healthier.
Just wonderful; I used frozen corn rather than canned. Tasted better the next day!
This was pretty good, but I felt like it was missing something. I think next time I will add cilantro and onion, and a bit more salad dressing.
The ingredients went great together...I just felt like it was missing something. It lacked that extra needed flavor. Fresh minced garlic & chopped cilantro would have definitely helped.
this was pretty good. unlike many other reviewers, though, I didn't think there was enough seasoning -- I added more of everything, even cumin (I love cumin). I probably ended up doubling the seasonings. I just didn't think a teaspoon of this or that was enough for 2 cans of beans, plus corn, tomatoes, and 4 cups of cooked pasta. it ended being pretty tasty, though. for the dressing I used 'Mustard Vinaigrette' from this website. oh, and I added around 1 cup of chopped red, orange, and gold bell peppers. yum.
Just made this for a church homegoing picnic. Imagine how I felt when it was the only dish barely eaten. Yes, it is spicy (too much Cumin, for sure) but it is not very attractive and the play of the flavors is boring, depsite the heat.
It was okay, I can see how it would be a good dish to bring to a BBQ or something casual like that.
I have made this sooo many times! Its such an easy throw together dish for picnics/potlucks. I like using ranch dressing to cool down the pepper/spice. Delish!
We didnt care for this. I followed the recipe exactly. It turned out dry and the cumin overpowered it and was the only thing I could taste. The next day I added 1 cup of jalapeno ranch dressing wjich improved it alot. Sorry, I dont think I will be making this again.
We enjoyed this. I realized a little late in the game that I didn't have any pinto beans, so I used all black beans. I did go a little light on the cumin and chili powder and was glad I did. This went well with grilled turkey burgers. Thanks :)
5-stars if you add more crunch like celery, red pepper, etc. I also added a small can of green chiles. Omit tomatoes; they never hold up well. Other than that, awesome! Made it twice in the span of two weeks for various events.
Everyone loved the salad. I had to double the recipe for my group. I was surprised not to see any onions in the recipe my group loves onions so I added. I did not have fresh tomatoes, so used can of chopped drained, this worked well. I did not have enough cummin to double nor did i double the chilli powder as per some reviews. Tasted while it chilled and it was just fine. Will ues this again, thank you.
This was fantastic! I loved it and so did everyone at the party I took it to. I tripled all the ingredients to make a large salad. I wouldn't change anything.
It was really good i added some ranch and two slices of turkey its really good.
This was a big hit at my house. I recommend using Hidden Valley Spicey Ranch Dressing instead of Italian. Everybody loved this.
A little dry for my tastes, and mine came out a bit too spicy. I think I added a little bit more spices than the recipe recommended, though.
Makes a lot more than I expected. Great if feeding a crowd or you really like pasta salad. Taste-wise, not bad but I recommend adding a bit more Italian salad dressing, a bit more chili powder and some herbs like oregano and basil. This won't knock your socks off, but it's a good basic side dish for the summer. Just be sure to share.
I thought this was a fresh, zesty twist on pasta salad. I loved the sweetness the corn brought. I recommend putting in a lot less cumin and adding some more Italian dressing because it was a little dry when I made it, but other than that it was yummy.
I was a little weary about this one, but was pleasantly suprised when I made it. I generally don't think of beans being in a pasta salad. Quite good.
This didn't work for me. Something about the combintation of italian dressing and mexican seasoning just didn't go well together.
very tasty and healthy salad, i used less cumin and less chili powder and a little extra italian dressing as other reviewers suggested. i also used cannelini beans instead of pinto and a small chopped onion instead of the onion powder. my boyfriend loved it. will definitely make this again.
A very easy salad to make and VERY tasty...I made it for a BBQ and it was a hit with EVERYONE! It was great for leftovers also...it aged well for a few days! Yummy!!!!
Very good! I didn't have fresh tomatoes so we used a can of diced tomatoes w/ green chilis instead. I also took the advice of others and cut the cumin, using only 1/2 Tbsp, plus omitted the salt. I made up fresh Italian dressing from a packet (about 2 cups.) and added the spices directly to it. We ended up pouring 1/2 the bottle over the salad, as my family thought it was too dry/bland at 1st, but the seasonings are great. I'm saving the rest of the dressing to add as we have the leftovers, since pasta salads seems to taste better over time, but also absorbs a lot. I think cubed cheese would be a great addition, and will try that next time. A great new summer salad recipe!
As per usual, I changed it up a bit. :) I used more like 2½ cups of uncooked rotini, closer to the half-cup of Italian dressing, and a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with oregano and garlic (drained and rinsed). I omitted the cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. I used a few good shakes of onion and garlic powders, and I chilled the salad for three or four hours before eating. It tasted like one of those boxed pasta salad mixes from the store (which is a compliment as I LIKE the Italian one!) but much more hearty with the beans. Thanks for sharing, Aria, maybe I'll actually follow the whole recipe next time 'round!
Yum! Unlike many of the other commenters, I LOVE cumin and did not think the 1.5 tablespoons was excessive. If I were making it to share I would add some green onions just for color but I certainly did not find the flavor lacking.
Not bad, but not spicey enough for me. I took the recommendation of others and used less cumin. I still felt something was missing though. Next time I will make it and add some salsa as someone else suggested.
We had the family, both sides, over for Mother's Day yesterday. My husband was frying a turkey so I was looking for something with a cajun flavor - but not too spicy hot - to complement the main dish. It was an absolute hit from the oldest to the youngest. And so incredibly simple to make. I am just adding that I've been making this recipe for several years since finding it on Allrecipes and it is ALWAYS a hit. People beg me to make this. I think though that it is better to make this the day before and let the flavors meld. When I take this to a party nothing EVER comes home. PS: Use more Italian dressing on this. If you let it sit overnight, definitely put more dressing on to "freshen" it up.
Rather dry and definitely had an overwhelming taste of cummin. Love pasta salad but this one missed the mark.
This is a great vegetarian option. I added turmeric. I completely forgot to add the tomatoes, but next time I definitely will, and I think I'll add some fresh coriander too.
Kind of tasted like boring chili, but not inedible... didn't go over great, so porbably won't make again. Thanks for the post anyhow!
I thought the salad was very tasty ... I only had elbo macaroni on hand, and had to use a can of petite diced Mexican-style tomatoes. Still turned out great. This recipe does make a HUGE batch. (Plenty for lunches all week!)
Maybe just my tastes, but this was terrible. I made it pretty much as prescribed, and it was so bad that I couldn't eat it after trying to choke down some of it at dinner.
I had all the ingredients in my cabinet. I was pleasantly surprised. My husband thought it was great. This is a recipe I will be repeating.
I just made this tonight and can’t stop eating it, lol. I had a few differences because it was a last minute idea and didn’t go to the store so I left out corn and used a different pasta, casarecce. Also used 2 cans of three bean blend and a can of diced tomatoes. Made my own Italian dressing with what I had. Turned out amazing and my toddler loved it. Will definitely make again! Thank you
With the changes I made, I rate this recipe 6 stars! First, instead of 2 cups of shells, I used the whole package and cooked for only 8 minutes because the shells should be al dente so they don't break or get mushy. I doubled the spices but omitted the red pepper flakes. Because I couldn't imagine Italian dressing with Mexican spices, I used Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing instead. 2 full cups of that yummy stuff. I also added a 15oz can of chili beans in spiced tomato sauce, rinsed like the other canned beans. My final additions were 1/2 can of black olives, sliced, and 1 lb of diced cheddar cheese. Chill in the refrigerator until good and cold. This gets better overnight as the flavors continue to meld. This is a winner at my house and with the amount these changes made, we enjoy this delicious salad for days and days! Bravo!
This was really good. A few modifications: served it HOT with melted cheese and crushed chips; Added salsa and a chopped onion. Delicious!
My family liked the beans and spices in this recipe but felt it lacked something. Next time I will try adding sliced olives and a handful of chopped parsley.
yummy! I did however cut the cumin in half and I also added some salsa cause it was a little dry. I also threw in some avocado and it added a wonderful flavor. I think next time I might chop up a jalapeno just to add a little kick.
Was pretty good (my kids loved it). Easy salad to make and great as leftover.
