South West Pasta Salad

Name: South West Pasta Salad
Cuisine: Salad
Ingredients: Chipotle Ranch Dressing Ingredients; 4 cloves garlic; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cup mayonnaise; 2/3 cup buttermilk; 4 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves; 4 tablespoons minced fresh chives; 1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced; 2 teaspoon white vinegar; Freshly ground black pepper; About 15 shakes of Chipotle Tabasco sauce (use more or less to taste); ________________________________________; Salad Ingredients; 3 lbs. Gemelli pasta (or whatever you like, I find that the Gemelli is hearty enough to stand up to this); 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced; 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (if tomatoes are in season, use whatever you have on hand); 1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed; 1 can black beans drained and rinsed; 1 big handful of fresh chopped parsley; 1 bunch scallions chopped.

One of my most requested recipes. Perfect for crowd of hungry kids!

Ingredients

Chipotle Ranch Dressing Ingredients
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 teaspoon white vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
About 15 shakes of Chipotle Tabasco sauce (use more or less to taste)
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Salad Ingredients
3 lbs. Gemelli pasta (or whatever you like, I find that the Gemelli is hearty enough to stand up to this)
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (if tomatoes are in season, use whatever you have on hand)
1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 big handful of fresh chopped parsley
1 bunch scallions chopped.

Instructions

For the Dressing: Mash the garlic and salt to a paste, we used a mortar and pestle, but you can use the side of a knife too.
In a medium plastic container, whisk together the garlic, mayonnaise, buttermilk, parsley, chives, scallion, vinegar and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too thick, add a little more of the buttermilk.
Add the tabasco to taste. Hint: If you make sure that all of the ingredients are really cold, then tasting it will yield a better idea of adjustments. Tasting it a little bit warm, it’s not as good. Close the container and put in the refrigerator to combine the flavors for at least an hour.
For the Salad: Cook the pasta according to directions, then rinse and cool (I just run cold water over it) and drain thoroughly.
Add all the ingredients to a very large plastic container (I buy the rubbermaid containers at the supermarket whenever they’re on sale).
Add the dressing and toss thoroughly to combine.

Notes

I like to put the salad in the fridge for a bit to chill a little, but you could certainly serve it at this point. Serves a whole lot of people and hold up very well for up to 3 days in the fridge. This recipe can be halved, doubled, tripled, whatever you need, it translates very well.