This Cowboy Pasta Salad is bursting with creamy avocado, black beans, sweet corn, and bowtie pasta all tossed in a tangy lime dressing. This is the type of BBQ side or potluck dish that’ll have guests begging you for the recipe.
Homemade Cowboy Pasta Salad
Sometimes you’ve got the perfect side planned for your BBQ, and sometimes you put so much love into the meat, the sides are… kind of an afterthought. When you need a side so good nobody will know you forgot to make it, you want this Cowboy Pasta Salad. If you’ve got leftover pasta already, you can throw this together in 10 minutes with some fresh produce and a few pantry staples. Let it chill while your meat finishes smoking, and you’ve got a bright, zesty salad that might just steal the show.
If you’re taking this salad to a potluck, be ready to share the recipe. With the flavors and textures going on, this salad will stand apart from anything else at the table. Creamy avocado, velvety black beans, sweet corn, and bright tomatoes get a kick of heat from the pickled jalapeños. The bowtie pasta gives the salad some bite, while a tangy lime and red wine dressing ties it all together. Make this and you’ll have a sleeper hit on your hands.
What’s In Cowboy Pasta Salad?
One thing I love about this recipe is you can make an awesome salad with what you’ve got on hand. Here’s what I used for my Cowboy Pasta Salad:
For the salad:
- 1 pound bowtie pasta (cooked according to package instructions)
- 1 15.5-ounce can black beans (drained)
- 1 15.5-ounce can black-eyed peas (drained)
- 2 cups corn kernels (defrost if frozen)
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- 2 avocados (peeled, pitted, and diced)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (chopped)
- ½ red onion (diced)
- ¼ yellow bell pepper (or orange, finely chopped)
- ½ cup pickled jalapeños (diced)
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Now, before the internet comes for my head, I know this salad typically has a little browned ground beef or crispy bacon bits mixed in. However, the whole point of my Cowboy Pasta Salad is working with what you’ve got to create something delicious. And, well, I didn’t have any ground beef or bacon on hand. Like I said, work with what you’ve got!
How to Make Cowboy Pasta Salad
Yes, this salad is bursting with flavor, but that doesn’t mean it’s hard to make. Just follow these easy steps, and you’ll be riding that Cowboy Pasta Salad high into the sunset:
- Cook the pasta. Pick your favorite pasta shape, then make it according to the package instructions. I love mine with bowtie pasta, but go with whatever your family loves most. Make sure to rinse the pasta with cool water after draining it. This helps keep the pasta from clinging together for a more balanced salad.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then whisk together. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then whisk until the salt dissolves completely.
- Build the salad. In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the drained and rinsed black beans and black-eyed peas, corn kernels, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, red onion, bell pepper, and pickled jalapeños. Don’t worry about mixing everything up until you add the dressing. You want to avoid over-handling the avocados, if possible.
- Add the dressing. Pour the dressing evenly over the pasta mixture, then gently toss with a wooden spoon until everything is well coated. Again, be gentle because you don’t want to bruise the avocados.
- Chill and serve. You can technically serve this salad right away, but it’s best if you let it chill in the fridge for an hour first. Just cover the mixed salad with some plastic wrap, then pop it in the fridge for an hour. The flavors meld, the pasta gets a little more bite, and everything tastes amazing when chilled. Give it a good stir before serving, then get ready for the compliments to start rolling in.
Serving Suggestions
This Cowboy Pasta Salad makes a perfect cookout side, and it pairs with just about anything you can grill. We love it next to smoked brisket, pulled pork, and even a smoky rack of ribs. The cool, creamy salad contrasts the rich, hot meat in a beautiful way. It’s also fantastic alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or a simple grilled steak.
Make It the Star
If you’re looking to keep things simple, this salad holds its own as a main dish. The beans and black-eyed peas make it plenty filling, and the creamy avocado gives this salad a wow factor others just can’t match. Round out the table with some cornbread, coleslaw, or corn on the cob, and you’ve got a spread that will loosen some belts.
More Show-Stopping Salad Recipes
The difference between a decent outdoor cook and a Backyard BBQ Hero is bringing a whole meal together at the cookout. You’ll be shocked what a difference a simple salad can make in the presentation of your favorite smoked meats. What won’t be shocking? I’ve got dozens of awesome salad recipes for you to try next, including these bad boys:
Easy Cowboy Pasta Salad Recipe
Make this Cowboy Pasta Salad once, and I promise it’ll earn a permanent spot in your menu rotation. When someone asks where you got the recipe (which will happen a lot), make sure you’re both following me on Facebook and Instagram and subscribed to my YouTube channel. With a little help from Hey Grill Hey, you (and anyone you let in on the secret) can become a Backyard BBQ Hero!
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Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to cool completely.
1 pound bowtie pasta
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Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then whisk together. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
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Build the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the drained and rinsed black beans and black-eyed peas, corn kernels, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, red onion, bell pepper, and pickled jalapeños.
1 15.5 ounce can black beans, 1 15.5 ounce can black-eyed peas, 2 cups corn kernels, 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, 2 avocados, ½ red onion, ¼ yellow bell pepper, ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, ½ cup pickled jalapeños
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Add the dressing. Pour the dressing evenly over the pasta mixture, then gently toss with a wooden spoon until everything is well coated.
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Chill and serve. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to chill and let the flavors meld. Before serving, give everything a gentle stir and season to taste if needed.
Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 514IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
