Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad
Cold bow tie pasta becomes a bright Southwestern-style salad with lime, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and layered chile heat. Black beans, corn, tomatoes with green chiles, green onions, and diced avocado add color and contrasting flavors to the tender pasta. Serve it chilled as a refreshing side for potlucks, picnics, or casual summer meals.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook10 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 60 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 13 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 57 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 68
- Heart Health
- 85
- Metabolic
- 55
- Digestive
- 36
- Inflammatory
- 30
- Performance
- 45
- General Wellness
- 1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the bow tie pasta, stirring occasionally, until cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.
- 2
Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, ground chile pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl. Stir corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles, and green onions into the dressing to coat. Gently mix avocados into the bean mixture; fold bow tie pasta into the salad. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
- 3
Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, ground chile pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl.
- 4
Stir the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles, and green onions into the dressing to coat.
- 5
Gently mix the avocados into the bean mixture; fold the bow tie pasta into the salad.
- 6
Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- Calories 453.8 kcal High 23%
- Protein 12.01 g Good Source 24%
- Carbohydrate 60.7 g 22%
- Total Fat 20.37 g High 26%
- Saturated Fat 2.7 g Moderate 14%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.03 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 217.28 mg Moderate 9%
- Dietary Fiber 10.5 g Good Source 38%
- Total Sugars 5.24 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 49.32 mg Low Source 4%
- Iron 1.59 mg Low Source 9%
- Potassium 583.34 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin A 10.42 mcg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin C 11.3 mg Moderate 13%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chilled Southwest Bow Tie Pasta Salad is a Tex Mex side dish recipe made with 17 ingredients. It takes about 30 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Avocado, Black Beans, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper. Each serving provides about 453.8 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad?
- It is a Tex-Mex salad recipe made with 17 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch or salad.
- What is Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad made of?
- The main ingredients are Avocado, Black Beans, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Pepper. The full list of 17 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad?
- About 30 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 453.8 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 17 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad healthy?
- Chilled Southwest Bow-Tie Pasta Salad has an easyChef Pro health score of 47/100. Per serving, it provides 453.8 calories and 12.01 g of protein, or 24% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 217.28 mg (9% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 2.7 g (14% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Wheat, Gluten, Corn, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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