Mexican Pasta Salad

This had to be one of the easiest salads I ever made. And it tasted good too. I used medium shells instead of macaroni because I had it in my closet. Also, used Fat Free Mayo (and I always like to cut the calories). But I like a lot of flavor, so I also added about a half cup of chopped onion and a half cup of frozen corn. Also, put in about a Tbsp of chili powder for more Mexican flavor. Then right before serving, I sprinkled chopped cilantro on top. Yummy!! I will definitely make this again. And maybe use black beans as someone else suggested.  -  12 Aug 2005  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

I was worried about this one before I tried it -- it seemed pretty odd. I followed exact recipe directions, including the black olives, which really added a lot to the flavour, and hot salsa (Herr's brand). If I had to do it again, I would do it with medium salsa, since it was a bit hot for me. I tested it out on college-age friends and they seemed to really like it. The recipe is not as creamy as I am accustomed to in a pasta salad, but one could always add more mayonaise if that is desired. I think choosing a good brand of salsa is key to this recipe -- many of the salsas on the shelf looked machine-made. This came out as mostly pasta with a little bit of the veggies here and there -- those who prefer a more varied mix may want to add red and yellow pepper and perhaps even some cucumber. Good constitution though, nice proportions, and has a very 'surprising' effect on those who eat it. Nobody expects a pasta salad with zip!  -  19 Feb 2004  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

I made this for a party of about 40 people. I doubled the recipe and added a few extras, i.e. the black beans, corn, chopped celery, etc. This was way more than enough for our group. I don't think I'll double it the next time, but a least I had some great leftovers to take home and enjoy.  -  19 Feb 2007  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)