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Steak Fajita Pasta Salad in a bowl
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5 stars from 3 reviews

Mexican Pasta Salad with Flank Steak

This Mexican Pasta Salad combines perfectly cooked fajita steak, veggies, and farfalle with a glorious, homemade lime cilantro dressing.
Author: Donna Elick
Servings: 8
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 pound flank steak
  • 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and green peppers) sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced
  • 16 ounces bow tie pasta cooked
  • 1 English cucumber sliced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2.25 ounces sliced black olives
  • 1 cup pickled jalapenos

Zesty Dressing

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cilantro finely diced
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In a small bowl combine all of the dressing ingredients and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  • Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
  • Divide in half and add 1/2 of the marinade to a resealable bag. Add steak to bag and rub the marinade into it. Place bag in the refrigerator and marinate for 1-3 hours.
  • Add a 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet along with the sliced onion. Cook over medium-high for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
  • Add bell peppers and the remaining marinade to the onions and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.
  • Set vegetables aside and add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Remove steak from fridge and place in hot pan. Cook until meat reaches the desired level of doneness, approximately 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
  • Once the steak is cooked set aside and let rest for 10 minutes then slice into thin strips.
  • Add steak, peppers, onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and jalapenos to a large bowl of cooked pasta. Toss to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat.

Notes

If you are making this the day before divide the dressing in half and add half to the pasta salad when you make it then store in fridge overnight and add remaining half of dressing before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 547cal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 833mg | Sugar: 8g | Fiber: 5g | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg