food

Mexican Summer Pasta Salad

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My Mexican Summer Pasta Salad recipe is a sponsored post.

mexican summer pasta salad

Growing up in Southern California, Mexican food was a big part of my life.

At least three times a week my dad would come home from work and declare it was Mexican food night. This was long before taco Tuesday was cool… but I love that more people are enjoying all of the flavors of Mexico. I took some of my favorite’s to make this pasta salad. It’s not a truly authentic Mexican dish, but it’s still delicious.

We make it most during the summer or on busy school nights because it can be prepared and served in less than 15 minutes… and that includes cooking the pasta!

cans

To keep all the ingredients tasting fresh and still keep the time to prepare so quick I use canned good wherever possible.

From the fire roasted corn, to the olives and black beans… canned goods make this dish awesome! Not only are cooking beans and roasting corn time consuming, but I’ve never been able to get them to constantly taste as good as the canned versions.

summer pasta salad

This salad is very forgiving too. You can substitute in your favorite flavors too! I love black beans in it… but kidney or garbanzo beans would be great too! I also top it with ranch dressing, but a creamy Italian would be a good option if that sounds better to you.

Serves 5

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of pasta 
  • 1 can of olives
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 can of fire roasted corn
  • 1 red pepper (diced)
  • 1 yellow pepper (diced)
  • 1 white onion (diced)
  • 1 tomato (diced)
  • 1 cup of Mexican cheese
  • 1 cup Ranch Dressing
  • Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta as directed. Rinse with cold water to cool off.
  2. Toss all other ingredients with the pasta.
  3. Enjoy!

summer pasta salad ingredients

We eat this as a main dish as it’s pretty hardy, but it also makes a great pot luck side dish!

tossed summer pasta saladcans for saladquick summer meal

From delicious recipes and meal solutions to nutrition and sustainability information, Cans Get You Cooking showcases the nutrition, freshness and flavor canned foods offer. With a well-stocked pantry —or Cantry— from Safeway or Albertsons, you can get through the week with creative healthy, homemade meals.. 

A well-stocked cantry helps you make nutritious and flavorful meals you can feel good about serving. There are some misconceptions around canned food:

  • The can is one of the best ways to get food from farm to table – locking in nutrients at the peak of ripeness just hours after picking
  • Using canned fruits and vegetables is a great way to add vitamins and minerals to your meals
  • Cans help you save prep time and get a healthy meal on the table more often
  • Canned foods are typically half the cost of frozen and 15 – 20% less than fresh

That is why I always have our favorite canned goods on hand to create meals for my family!

What are your favorite ways to use canned foods?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Albertsons & Safeway. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.