Sweet Vidalia Onions were on sale at the market this past weekend and we decided to make a dish that would feature them raw. I threw together a citrus vinaigrette pasta salad that was bright and fresh-tasting.
Here’s everything you need:
Southwestern Pasta Salad
- ½ pound Ditalini (or other small pasta)
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1/2 bunch Green Onions (green parts
- only), chopped
- 1/2 cup Vidalia Onions, finely chopped
- 1 (15.5 oz) can *Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 oz) can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can Mexicorn, drained and rinsed
- I small can Chopped Black Olives
- 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro Leaves
- 2 Lemons, juiced
- 2 Limes, juiced
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
This might seem like a lot of ingredients, but you’re mainly just opening cans. Pour the beans and corn into a colander to rinse and drain. In a separate bowl, add the chopped onions, pepper, cilantro, olives, oil, vinegar and spices.
Next, juice the lemons and limes over a fine mesh sieve to catch the seeds and pulp. Really try to get all the juice out. This is the main flavoring in the salad.
Boil the noodles and cool them under cold, running water before adding them to the medley.
(I actually just used the noodles I had left over from my Minestrone di Smeraglia.)
Then mix it all with a spoon for a couple of minutes to make sure the oil, vinegar and citrus blend well.
This pasta salad is really good fresh, but it’s even better the next day. How easy is that?
*I know chickpeas aren’t very “Southwestern,” but they work so well in this dish.
