Mexicali Pasta Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing

Bold and explosively flavorful, this simple pasta salad is comprised of affordable ingredients - but don't think that cheap equals poor taste or quality. An equally simple dressing rounds out the entire dish - full of typical southwestern seasonings. This dish can be eaten as a side or as a main course; serve alongside barbecued food or as part of a Mexican or Tex-Mex dinner. If you don't like spicy food, you can eliminate the cayenne pepper. Of course, feel free to season to your liking.

Mexicali Pasta Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing

8 - 12 oz. pasta (medium shells, rotini, or any other spiral pasta; can substitute whole wheat pasta if desired)

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. olive oil

2 - 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. chili powder (can use regular or chipotle chili powder)

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt or kosher salt

 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into crescents

1 (15 oz.) can no salt added corn kernels, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz.) can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in plenty of boiling water. 

While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, salt and pepper together. Taste and tweak the seasonings, if needed. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Drain the pasta into a colander and run under cold water until the noodles are completely cool. This is a very important step - if the noodles are not totally cool, they will absorb a lot of the dressing and will result in a dry pasta salad.

Add the noodles to a large mixing bowl along with the onion, corn, beans, tomatoes and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Taste again for seasonings and add more salt and pepper; you will need to salt well because no salt was added to the pasta water (there is no point in salting the water if the noodles are to be rinsed). Store tightly covered in the refrigerator; toss well before serving.

Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish; serves 4 as a main course