I’m not typically a fan of mayo-based pasta salads. Every time I’ve had one at a barbecue it’s been overly sweet with not enough bite or tang. This chipotle variation on pasta salad incorporates spice, funk, and crunchy veggies to help give you a more balanced side dish with excellent texture. If you want to cut down on the spice, you can reduce the amount of chipotle pepper powder and use pickles and more bell peppers in lieu of pickled and fresh jalapenos. Additionally, use of greek yogurt helps to make for a healthier, tangier dressing that doesn’t sacrifice creaminess.

Ingredients

Sauce

• Greek yogurt
• Mayonnaise
• Chipotle powder
• Black pepper
• Old Bay seasoning
• Garlic powder

Substance

• Pasta (we used spiral pasta made from red lentils)
• Bell pepper, chopped
• Jalapeno, chopped
• Shallot, diced
• Pickled jalapeno, chopped

Prepare your creamy, spicy pasta salad

Start by cooking your pasta per instructions on the box (kudos to anyone not using boxed pasta and attempting to make their own). Drain your pasta and let it cool.

Prepare your pasta dressing with a mix of yogurt and mayo. I used more Greek yogurt than mayo to make it a little lighter. Greek yogurt is a nice choice here because it’s thicker than regular yogurt and won’t make your pasta salad too watery.

Incorporate your powdered spices. If you like the heat, add a good amount of chipotle powder. Remember that Old Bay includes salt, so add in small amounts until you get the desired amount of saltiness in your dressing. As always, I don’t include any amounts here because I believe everyone should proportion to taste— just make sure you make enough dressing to thoroughly coat your pasta and the amount of veg you plan to incorporate!

Combine your drained, cooled pasta, dressing, shallot, and chopped peppers. Add additional spice and salt to taste. This is a great make-ahead and can be placed in the fridge until ready for plating, but can also be eaten immediately! Makes a great side dish for G.O.M. burgers!