Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box

Name: Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 12 oz. box whole wheat mini shells; 1 15 oz. can reduced-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed; 1 15 oz. can no-salt-added corn, drained, rinsed; 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes; 6 mini sweet peppers (diced); 1 green onion (thinly sliced); 1/2 cup shredded lowfat Cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup yogurt Ranch dressing; 1 ounce blue tortilla chips; 2 tablespoons Wholly Guacamole® mini; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt; 1/2 banana (sliced); 1 tablespoon granola

by Amanda Keefer // September 29, 2014 (last updated September 20, 2021)

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We love pasta salad at our house and I am excited to share this new recipe with you! This Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box is ideal for making the night before. Pack in lunchboxes with a few healthy sides for a nutritious and filling lunch!

With the new school year rolling around the corner, we have been trying to think of new things to pack up for not only the kids lunch, but mine as well. This Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box is perfect for the whole family! We made this over the Summer to take to a BBQ and it was a hit. I thought, why not take this for lunch? This pasta salad packs well and is loaded with veggies! Black beans, peppers, tomatoes, and corn make this pasta salad a winner for the entire family. You can make a big batch and spread it out through the week, too.

There are a few recipes that we meal prep in the house. This pasta salad is one of them. We also make big batches of our Apple Zucchini Muffins, our Southwest Quiche Muffins, and our Freezable Pizza Pockets. Meal prepping helps us save time and also helps us eat better. We are less likely to grab for unhealthy snacks and meals when we have some already prepped and ready to go. So if you want, double this recipe so everyone can enjoy for a few days.

Nutrition Tip: Compared to lean meats, the protein found in black beans contain zero to little saturated fat and cholesterol.

Key Ingredients for this Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box

Whole Wheat Pasta– we used mini shells but bowtie, elbows, or other shapes work well too! If you want you can try veggie noodles, too.
Corn– we used salt free canned corn in this recipe.
Black Beans– black beans are a great source of fiber and protein!
Mini Sweet Peppers– these little peppers are loaded with flavor and add a nice crunch to this pasta salad recipe.
Cherry Tomatoes – we used cherry tomatoes but if you have larger tomatoes, just chop them up.
Ranch Flavored Yogurt Dressing– this makes a healthy alternative for the dressing and is so tasty!
Guacamole (for the side)- served up with your favorite chips, too!
Banana with Greek Yogurt and granola (for the side)- this makes a healthy little dessert!

How to make this Southwestern Pasta Salad Bento Box

First start by cooking the pasta according to package directions. Drain and let cool. Then dice up your tomatoes, mini peppers, and green onions.

Then mix the pasta, black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onion, cheese and Ranch in large bowl. Mix until all is well combined.

Serve cold or refrigerate until ready to eat.

To assemble in a bento box, add the tortilla chips with the guacamole in their own compartments. Then add the yogurt topped with bananas and granola in a separate compartment.

Make sure to PIN it!

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