Spicy Pasta Salad with Cotija, Corn and Cilantro
This spicy pasta salad is my rendition of the pasta salad from Jans Health Bar. It’s a little different but I love it! It’s a simple meal that’s great for picnics and such or just nice lunch at home. It has a zippy dressing (with options to increase the spice!), crunchy green bell pepper, sweet corn, cotija cheese and cilantro for balanced flavor + texture.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: main/side
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz dry rotini pasta
- 1 green bell pepper, diced small
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, measure then chop
- 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Cholula hot sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 heaping tbsp mayo
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Start a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta. Once boiling, add a small palm-full of salt to the water, then add the pasta.
- Chop the bell pepper and cilantro.
- Place the oil, lemon juice, hot sauce, honey, mayo, tomato paste, cayenne, oregano, 1 tsp salt and black pepper in a jar or salad dressing shaker. Secure lid and shake vigorously until fully combined.
- Once pasta is cooked, rinse under cold water until cooled.
- Combine pasta, corn, bell pepper, cilantro and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss until pasta is fully coated.
- Top with extra cilantro and queso if desired.
Notes
Spice – if you want to increase the spice level, increase the amount of cayenne 1/4 tsp at a time to taste. You can also add up to 1 tbsp more of hot sauce or use a spicier hot sauce that you like.
Find it online: https://www.figjar.com/spicy-pasta-salad/