Are you craving a simple summer salad that is going to please your taste buds? This Mexican Pasta Salad is not only simple to make but it’s tasty, too. The combination of the soft pasta and flavor will have you scooping out just one more bite.
This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is one of my favorite dishes to make during an outdoor gathering or BBQ.
Related: Memorial Day Side Dishes
There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.
Mexican Pasta Salad
Are you looking for a way to make something quick, easy, and delicious? This Mexican Pasta salad recipe is one that needs to be on your radar. And the best part? There’s hardly any work involved at all.
I also love that there’s a little bit of heat and spice in this recipe as well. It’s an easy way to add a fun flavor and taste and a simple way to make it more unique than a lot of the other Mexican macaroni salads as well.
I’ve made this up a handful of times and I’ve never been disappointed yet. This recipe is a great way to feed your tummy and make a hearty side dish option as well.
Related: Hamburger Potato Soup
What sets this Mexican Fiesta pasta salad apart from other pasta salad recipes?
In my opinion, it’s the combination of the ham and the jalapeños. I’ve had a ton of pasta salads in my life, and this is one of the only ones that have these two additions.
It also has in Mexican sour cream and a lot of great veggies, too. This is why I’m one happy momma when the kiddo eats this dish…because I know that he’s fueling and filling his body with healthy options.
Can you meal plan and make this Mexican pasta salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can! This is another reason that I love this dish. For some wild reason, if you make it up and let it set in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight, it just tastes so much better as well!
I’ve also meal prepped in the way that I’ve cooked the noodles up ahead of time and then thrown it all together to make and serve the very next day.
Noodles are quite resilient and as long as you can make them up a day early, there’s no harm in doing so.
Related: Loaded Steak Fries
Tips for making this Mexican Pasta Salad
One of the best tips that I have for making up this simple Mexican macaroni salad recipe is to keep it as simple as possible.
Making pasta salad up shouldn’t be stressful at all. And once you get started on this simple process, you’re not going to want to stop.
Best of all, it’s a recipe that everyone in the family can join in and help as well. And to me, that’s what simple side dishes are all about. Bonding together creating it while looking forward to eating it.
How do you make Mexican Pasta Salad?
Ready to make this simple pasta recipe all on your own? It’s so simple and easy to do!
- 2 cups or 8 oz dried small macaroni noodles
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Mexican sour cream or sub with crème Fraiche
- large pinch of salt
- large pinch of ground black pepper
- 6 oz of sliced ham, or more if desired*
- one 15 oz can of mixed vegetable mix, drained
- **optional: pickled jalapenos, drained and roughly chopped
How to make Mexican Pasta Salad
Start by cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package. Once done, drain the pasta and set it aside to cool to room temperature. You can also speed up the cooling process by rinsing under cool water and draining as well.
Next, take a large mixing bowl and combine the mayo, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Once that is done, mix in the cooked and stir until the sauce is coating the noodles as thorough as possible.
Then take the mix and add in the drained canned vegetables as well. At this point, also mix in the jalapenos, too. The last thing you want to do is mix in the ham bits and stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
You can serve this pasta salad right away or store it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow it to cool.
Mexican Pasta Salad
This Mexican Pasta Salad is a simple and easy recipe. It's an authentic and flavorful pasta dish that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups or 8 oz dried small macaroni noodles
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Mexican sour cream or sub with crème Fraiche
- large pinch of salt
- large pinch of ground black pepper
- 6 oz of sliced ham, or more if desired*
- one 15 oz can of mixed vegetable mix, drained
- **optional: pickled jalapenos, drained and roughly chopped
Instructions
Start by cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package. Once done, drain the pasta and set it aside to cool to room temperature. You can also speed up the cooling process by rinsing under cool water and draining as well.
Next, take a large mixing bowl and combine the mayo, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Once that is done, mix in the cooked and stir until the sauce is coating the noodles as thorough as possible.
Then take the mix and add in the drained canned vegetables as well. At this point, also mix in the jalapenos, too. The last thing you want to do is mix in the ham bits and stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
You can serve this pasta salad right away or store it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow it to cool.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 307Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 54mgSodium 671mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 19g
Enjoy this simple recipe! It’s a great dish to make that you can easily make up in no time at all! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Like this simple side dish recipe? Check out some other great dinner ideas as well:
Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.
1 thought on “Mexican Pasta Salad”
Pingback: Old Fashioned Corn Fritters - Because Mom Says