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Mexican Macaroni Salad

Mexican macaroni salad with colorful elbow pasta, corn, black beans, red pepper, and a fresh lime-cilantro dressing. Quick boil-and-rinse pasta then toss with a creamy mayo-sour cream blend for a cold, flavor-smooth side.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
resting 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

elbow pasta
  • 8 oz elbow pasta
corn kernels
  • 1 cup corn kernels
black beans
  • 15 oz black beans, drained
red bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
red onion
  • 0.5 red onion, diced
fresh cilantro
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
jalapeño
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
sour cream
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
lime juice
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Cook the elbow pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain. Rinse under cold water until cool to the touch so the salad stays firm and colorful.
  2. Transfer the drained elbow pasta to a large bowl and spread it out briefly. This helps steam escape and prevents clumping.
Build the salad
  1. Add corn kernels, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño to the bowl with the pasta. Stir gently so the mix looks evenly speckled with vibrant colors.
Mix the lime-cilantro dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder in a separate bowl until smooth. The dressing should look creamy and evenly tinted.
  2. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently until every pasta piece is coated and glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavor pops without overpowering the lime.
Chill before serving
  1. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps the flavors blend and thickens the dressing slightly for better cling.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water right after draining so it cools fast and doesn’t turn mushy. Refrigerate in a covered container for 3–4 days; freeze is not recommended because mayonnaise-based dressing can separate. For a lighter option, use Greek yogurt in place of half the mayonnaise to keep it creamy while reducing fat.