Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad
Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad puts a hearty spin on the beloved cowboy caviar dip by adding lots of tender ditalini, creamy mozzarella pearls, and savory ham. Tossed in a smoky Mexican-spiced vinaigrette, it's the perfect main dish for potlucks and picnics.
Servings 8 people
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of the liquids from the pickled peppers (below)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
For the pasta salad:
- 2 cups dried ditalini pasta
- 15 ounce can black eyed peas , rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 cup cubed ham
- 1/2 cup frozen corn , rinsed briefly under cold water, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers (all one color, or a mix of green, yellow, red)
- 1/2 cup diced red onions , soaked in water for 15 mins and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet salad peppers (or pickled jalapeños)*
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth (a milk frother works well, too). Set aside.
Make the pasta salad:
- Cook the pasta in a small pot according to the package directions. Drain, and rinse well with cold water until the pasta is no longer hot.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large serving bowl. Add all of the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl and toss gently. Season with a couple of pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the pasta salad and toss. Drizzle again to coat the pasta to your preference (i.e., lots of dressing or less for sort of dry). (Extra dressing can be stored in the fridge.)
- Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours to let all of the flavors meld.
Video
Notes
*Sweet salad peppers are banana peppers that have been pickled similarly to sweet bread and butter cucumber pickles. They're usually found in the pickle aisle.