Give Boring Pasta Salad A Mexican Lift With These Simple Ingredients

Have you recently been invited to a potluck? Whatever the occasion, you know you'll need to bring a dish to share. How about pasta salad? It doesn't need to be heated, travels well, and is relatively inexpensive and easy to make. The only trouble is, even with a bit of Salad Supreme seasoning or a splash of pickle juice, it can be kind of underwhelming — and we hate to underwhelm. Well, you don't have to worry about that. A few pantry staple ingredients can turn a plain dish of pasta salad into a Mexican-style ensalada de coditos; a creamy, crunchy, tangy take on pasta salad that's full of protein, vegetables, and flavor.

Ensalada de coditos (which translates to "macaroni salad") is a cold, Mexican-style pasta salad that's full of contrasting and complementary textures and flavors. Generally, the key ingredients are short tube pasta (elbow macaroni, in particular), cold meat, and chopped vegetables mixed with a creamy dressing. For the dressing, mayo, sour cream, or plant-based alternatives are all possible. The dish gets its name from the elbow-shaped macaroni pasta used as the base, although it's also known as sopa fria, meaning "cold soup" even though it's not a soup at all. The traditional recipe also calls for corn, onion, cubed ham (or another meat, like Spam or tuna), bell peppers, and other vegetables with the option to add cheese, chopped boiled eggs, or whatever else the cook likes best. 

If you're a fan of ensalada de coditos, you should know that it's not just for potlucks. You can make the dish anytime you like, no need for an occasion. However, if you're making a batch to enjoy on your own, you might want to pair it with another Mexican-style dish you might find at barbecue get-togethers: carne asada. While you might find the pasta salad is a little heavy to serve as a side with rich dishes like enchiladas or a burrito, a tamale or two (especially with a roast pork filling) can be a great accompaniment. On the other hand, if you want to make a Mexican-inspired salad plate, you can add in dishes like southwestern-style bean salad or ensalada de nopal if you can get your hands on the key ingredient of cactus.

You can also consider varying the recipe for the ensalada de coditos itself. For instance, if you or one of your dining guests don't eat pork but your recipe calls for ham or Spam, consider using cubes of smoked turkey or smoked tofu for an equally tasty variation on the salad. You can also try pairing the salad with a tangy glass of homemade lemonade, a glass of Mexican Coke (yes, the cane sugar really does make a difference), or a Mexican-inspired cocktail like a margarita.