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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
46 ratings
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If you can't decide what to bring to your next summer gathering and love pasta salads and bean salads, we have the best and easiest recipe so you can combine your favorite cold salad and make a filling, nutritious and delicious dish that everyone will love. Our vegetarian pasta and bean salad is packed with fiber-rich kidney beans and garbanzos, which combined with rotini pasta, make for a hearty and decadent salad. A light and creamy dressing made from mayonnaise and Italian salad dressing brings the ingredients together. It's a wonderful dish to make ahead and place in the fridge until it's time to eat, and it keeps well for a couple of days if covered and kept in the fridge.
This pasta-bean salad is a great recipe to experiment with and add other ingredients: Black olives, steamed broccoli, diced tomatoes, green onions, celery, cilantro, red onions, and feta cheese or other tangy cheese are all great options. Use different beans like pinto, cannellini, or black beans. Add sunflower seeds or pepitas right before serving to add some crunch.
Customize the salad to your needs and make it vegan by using vegan mayonnaise. Check the bottled Italian salad dressing, as some are dairy free and vegan, and some are not. Alternatively, make your own dressing to ensure that the dish adheres to a vegan lifestyle. Other types of pasta like penne or bow ties are also great choices. Whole-wheat and gluten-free pasta can also cater to other dietary needs.
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) packagerotini pasta
Salt, to taste
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1 16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (11-ounce can) corn kernels, drained
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (2-ounce) jar pimentos, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, optional, to taste
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the prepared pasta, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and corn kernels.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the Italian salad dressing, mayonnaise, chopped pimento peppers, and red pepper flakes.
Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and lightly toss until all is well combined. Taste test and add a bit of salt if needed, and pepper, if using. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before eating.
Enjoy!
Other Pasta and Bean Combos
To make a successful pasta salad, you need to pick a base, your pasta shape, then add one or two types of beans and a flavor profile—your dressing—and your add-on ingredients, like vegetables, seeds, or cheese. Here are a few ideas for you to try:
- Italian: Use bow ties, canned navy beans, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and green peppers, and use the same dressing as in the original recipe. When ready to eat, add a few shaves of Parmesan cheese and croutons on top of each serving.
- Mexican: Use penne, black beans, diced tomatoes, thinly sliced green and red bell peppers, canned corn, and a dressing of 1/2 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and one handful of chopped cilantro leaves. Crumble some queso fresco on top before serving.
- Spicy: Use ziti, pinto beans, black beans, thinly sliced red bell peppers, and 1/2 cup of cilantro. To the original vinaigrette in our recipe add 1 tablespoon of hot sauce. When ready to eat, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bean Recipes That Are Anything But Boring
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
364 | Calories |
20g | Fat |
37g | Carbs |
10g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 364 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 20g | 26% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 15% |
Cholesterol 8mg | 3% |
Sodium 603mg | 26% |
Total Carbohydrate 37g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber 8g | 28% |
Total Sugars 6g | |
Protein 10g | |
Vitamin C 3mg | 17% |
Calcium 47mg | 4% |
Iron 2mg | 12% |
Potassium 384mg | 8% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- Chickpea
- salad
- american
- picnic
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I don't like this at all.It's not the worst.Sure, this will do.I'm a fan—would recommend.Amazing! I love it!Thanks for your rating!