Chorizo Pasta Salad & Mango Salsa
Hot summer nights mean loaded pasta salads and fresh fruit salsas! Over the next couple months, I’ll lean on pasta salads like this one that feel more like an entree than a side. Eat it warm, room temp, or straight from the fridge. Potluck it or pack it for the pool! Mango or pineapple salsas are two of my favorites and once peaches come in, they’ll get made into salsa too! It’s the easiest topping for just about any protein that comes off the grill.
Chorizo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb bulk chorizo
- 1 14- oz bag frozen Mexican street corn
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 lb fusilli pasta
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, Pepper jack, habanero, Mexican blend
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- hot sauce, such as Cholula or Valentina’s
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook and crumble the chorizo to render the fat and brown. Transfer to a large bowl. In the same pan, saute the corn as directed on the package. This usually comes with sauce pellets that melt into the corn. If there is a cheese packet included, reserve it until the end.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, but do not rinse. Toss the pasta into the bowl the chorizo, then add the black beans, bell pepper, red onion, and corn. Add the sour cream, cheese, the reserved cheese packet, and cilantro. Stir well to coat and if needed, season with additional salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced (about 1/2 an English cucumber or 2 small Persian)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- jalapeño or habanero, seeded and very finely diced, optional
Instructions
- Simply combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. If desired, add a finely diced pepper to add some spice. I usually omit this in hopes that my kids will eat this. It’s delicious on top of salmon, chicken, or just about any grilled protein.
