If you’re a fan of Mexican flavors, you’ve got to try this Mexican macaroni salad for summer BBQs and cookouts. It takes a classic macaroni salad and adds some Mexican flare with roasted corn, black beans, bell peppers, and the best creamy Mexican dressing. It’s easy to make and goes with everything!
I absolutely live for Mexican recipes — their color, their flavor, their flare. So when thinking about cold salads to serve up in the summer months, I always want this one on the menu. Crunchy sweet corn, black beans, and jalapeno give it a delicious texture and kick.
Just mix up your veggies while the pasta cooks, toss it all together with the creamy dressing, let the flavors marinate in the fridge for a bit, and enjoy! It makes a great side dish, light lunch, or even a main course with a grilled protein. In fact, I can’t think of a protein that wouldn’t taste good next to this!
Looking for another easy pasta salad? Try easy Italian pasta salad or summer orzo salad next time.
Ingredients You Need
Grab the following ingredients for this Mexican Macaroni Salad. Jump down to the recipe for exact measurements.
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Elbow pasta: Use gluten-free if needed.
- Fresh corn: Prepare it roasted, steamed, or grilled. Canned or frozen and thawed corn kernels will also work.
- Black beans: Hearty black beans add protein and fiber.
- Cherry tomatoes: Substitute with grape tomatoes or Roma tomatoes.
- Green bell pepper: Orange or red bell peppers will also work.
- Red onion: Adds a nice crunch. Substitute with white onion if needed.
- Fresh cilantro: You can omit the cilantro if you’re not a fan.
- Jalapeño: Leave out the seeds if you’d prefer less heat.
Dressing Ingredients
- Greek yogurt and sour cream: You can substitute the Greek yogurt for mayonnaise.
- Lime: Used for fresh lime juice.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but you can substitute with garlic powder.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, kosher salt.
How to Make Mexican Macaroni Salad
Here are the basic steps, with images, for this Mexican pasta salad recipe. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full recipe.
- Cook the macaroni: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Darin and rinse it under cold water.
- Grill or roast the corn: Brush corn with olive oil and grill over high heat or roast at 425. While cooking, turn the corn until browned and cooked through. Cool and cut the kernels off the cobs.
- Make the dressing: Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar while the pasta cooks.
- Chop veggies and add to a bowl: Combine the cooked macaroni in a large bowl with the remaining pasta salad ingredients.
- Toss with dressing and serve: Pour the dressing on top and toss to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Taste and add more salt, lime juice, or cilantro to taste.
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have elbow macaroni? Try another small pasta like rotini, fusilli, or ditalini.
- Adjust the heat level by adding more or less jalapeño. Adding the seeds will add more heat as well.
- Mix in more Mexican ingredients like black olives, pickled jalapeno, or deli ham.
- Add some cheese like shredded cheddar cheese, cubed pepper jack cheese, or cotija cheese.
- Top with chives, green onions, fresh cilantro, or freshly squeezed lime juice.
What to Serve It With
- Instant pot carnitas
- Perfect grilled chicken breasts
- Instant Pot chicken tinga
- Salmon with mango salsa
- Grilled burgers or hot dogs
- Instant Pot chicken salsa
- Perfect grilled ribeye
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Success Tip! Pasta soaks up the dressing as it chills in the fridge. If you know you’ll have leftovers, reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and mix it with 1/4 cup of the dressing and reserve it on the side to toss before serving after storing.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Mexican Macaroni Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
Macaroni Salad
- 1 lb elbow macaroni gluten-free if needed
- 2 ears (1 cup) fresh corn (canned or frozen and thawed work)
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
Dressing
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 lime juiced (3 Tablespoons), plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta.1 lb elbow macaroni
- Heat an indoor or outdoor grill over high heat and brush the corn with oil. Cook the ears of corn for a few minutes on each side until it starts to brown. Alternately, roast at 425 for 12-15 minutes. Cool and cut the kernels off the cobs.2 ears (1 cup) fresh corn
- Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or blender while the pasta cooks.3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1 lime, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Combine the cooled pasta in a large bowl with the remaining pasta salad ingredients. Pour the dressing on top and toss to coat evenly.1 cup black beans, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 green bell pepper, 1/2 medium red onion, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1 jalapeño
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes if possible, but serving at room temperature works too. Taste and add more salt or lime juice as needed. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeno before serving.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Grill or oven for cooking corn
- Small bowl or blender to mix the dressing
- Cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Great flavor, but you’ll need to double the dressing as it was a bit dry. Will make again!