Bean Pasta Salad
Published Mar 25, 2026
Easy bean pasta salad with al dente macaroni, canned black beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, and a zippy lime dressing. Toss together, then chill!
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Make bean and macaroni salad for lunch!
I am all about pasta salads during the warmer months, and adding protein in the form of beans is the cherry on top! It’s got pasta, black beans, corn, and avocado, with enough going on to hold its own as a side or a light meal.
The dressing is simple, but it does a lot once it hits the warm pasta. I like that part because it gives the whole pasta salad more flavor instead of just sitting on top of everything. After that, it’s mostly just tossing things in a bowl and letting it chill for a bit so it all comes together.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Bean Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta: Macaroni works well here, but other small pasta shapes like shells, rotini, or ditalini work too. Just cook it to al dente so it holds up once it’s tossed with the dressing and chilled.
- Black beans: Canned black beans keep this easy. Drain and rinse them well so they do not add extra liquid or make the salad muddy. I use a can of black beans to save time, but here’s how to cook beans if you want to use dried.
- Vegetables: Bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, and cilantro. This is what fills out the salad. Dice the bell pepper small so it mixes in better, halve the tomatoes so they do not make the salad too watery, and mince the red onion pretty fine so it does not take over. If you want the onion less sharp, soak it in an ice water bath for about 5 minutes, make sure to drain well after.
- Avocado: Add it right before serving so it stays fresh and does not get mashed into the salad. Use one that is ripe but still firm enough to hold its shape. Be sure to read my tips on how to dice an avocado.
- Dressing: Whisk together lime zest, lime juice, grated garlic, taco seasoning, honey, salt, pepper, and oil to make a quick dressing that has a lot of flavor without much work. Tossing the warm pasta with the dressing first helps it soak in better. Olive oil or avocado oil both work here.
How to Make Bean Pasta Salad
Bean Pasta Salad Recipe
A cold bean pasta salad with black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes, and bell pepper in an easy lime dressing.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 limes zest and juice
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
For the salad:
- 8 ounces macaroni noodles or pasta of choice
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cooked corn
- ½ small red onion minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 avocado diced
Instructions
- To make the dressing, in a large serving bowl whisk lime zest and juice, garlic, taco seasoning, honey, salt, and pepper together until combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking vigorously until emulsified. Set aside in the fridge.
- To make the salad, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, then add to the large serving bowl with the dressing. Toss with the warm pasta so it can absorb the flavors.
- Add the black beans, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, and cilantro, and toss to coat. Chill for 1 hour for flavors to develop. When ready to serve, add diced avocado on top.
Notes
My Top Tip: When making the dressing, it’s important to slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly. This will help the dressing emulsify and get creamy. If you rush it, you could end up with a broken dressing with the oil separated from the rest of the ingredients.
Storage: Store the bean and macaroni salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. I recommend serving leftovers cold and dicing a fresh avocado.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 468kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Sodium: 509mg, Potassium: 659mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 922IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Make it cheesy: Stir in (or top it with!) crumbled feta or cotija cheese.
- Or, make it creamy: Stir in a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream to make the bean pasta salad creamier and tangier.
- Add more veggies: Zucchini, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and cucumber are great options. Try any combo and find your favorite!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rush adding the oil. When making the dressing, it’s important to slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly. This will help the dressing emulsify and get creamy. If you rush it, you could end up with a broken dressing with the oil separated from the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the pasta to al dente. This helps prevent the pasta from getting mushy in the fridge. I recommend taste-testing the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions say it’ll be done! Al dente pasta should be toothsome, but still tender.
- Add the pasta to the dressing when it’s still warm. This helps the macaroni easily soak up the dressing and all the flavors.
- Don’t skip chilling the pasta salad. This helps the dressing soak in and make the salad extra flavorful. An hour in the fridge makes a big difference!
Serving Ideas
- Chicken: If you want to turn this bean pasta salad into more of a full meal, chicken is an easy add since it works well with the lime dressing and all the vegetables. Try it with Grilled Chicken Tenders, Greek Chicken, or Grilled Harissa Chicken
- Burgers: This kind of pasta salad also works really well next to burgers, especially in the summer when you want something cold on the side. Pair it with Avocado Burgers, Quinoa Burgers, Grilled Turkey Burgers
- Skewers: If you’re making this for a cookout or warm-weather dinner, skewers make a lot of sense here too. Serve it with Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Salmon Kabobs, Grilled Veggie Kabobs
FAQs
Why is my bean pasta salad mushy?
You probably overcooked the pasta. You want it to be al dente. Next time, check it a minute or two before the package instructions say it’ll be done.
Why is my avocado brown?
Avocado turns brown when exposed to air. This is called oxidation. I recommend adding it to the pasta salad after you chill it, and right before you serve it. If it does brown, that doesn’t mean the avocado’s gone bad, though! It’s just not as appetizing to look at.
Comments
I made this today to have for dinner a couple nights this week. I’m a caregiver and we’re in a “bad time” (recovery after hospital stay), so I’ve been on the search for easy and healthy meals to get us through (bonus points when I can make ahead).
This is such a unique salad and is so delicious! I can’t wait to have it for dinner tomorrow 😊
My only substitution: using ditalini instead of macaroni. There’s something special about every component being the same size in a salad, am I crazy for saying that?
I’m sorry to hear you’re in a bad time right now, Sherre. Sometimes it’s the little things, like a new recipe to get excited about, that help. I’m so happy this could be even a tiny bright spot in your day. Ditalini is a great substitute, there’s something so satisfying about everything being uniform! Enjoy your leftovers!
Wow, this will be the summer salad to take to BBQ’s and make for myself.
Definitely will make it next Wednesday, have to get ingredients on Tuesday. I’m on a walker and have my daughter take me shopping. She will love this recipe as well. Can I use parsley instead cilantro? We’re one of the people who can’t eat it, it tastes like dishwasher soap.
Hi! You can definitely use parsley instead of cilantro. I hope you and your daughter enjoy the recipe all summer long!
Wonderful!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sara!