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Avocado Pasta Salad

Avocado pasta salad with creamy avocado dressing and fresh tomatoes, tossed with corn and red onion for a bright, cool side dish. Penne or rotini is coated in a smooth green avocado-lime sauce and lightly chilled for a fresh salad texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
  • 2 avocados Ripe for blending until smooth.
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced Minced for blending into the dressing.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped Use as a fresh top before serving.
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Season the dressing and adjust to preference.

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and keep the pasta from getting sticky.
Blend the creamy avocado dressing
  1. Blend avocados, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Scrape down as needed so the dressing is fully blended and evenly bright green.
Toss the salad
  1. Combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss until evenly mixed so every bite has pasta and crunchy vegetables.
  2. Add avocado dressing and toss to coat evenly. Continue tossing until the pasta looks evenly coated with a creamy avocado layer.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour to let flavors meld and the salad set. For best color, avoid chilling longer because the avocado may brown.
  2. Top with fresh cilantro before serving. Add it right before serving so it stays vivid and fragrant.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the pasta with cold water and then let it drain well so the dressing clings instead of turning watery. Store in the fridge up to 1 day; avocado may brown if kept longer. Freezing is not recommended because the avocado dressing and tomatoes will lose texture. For a dairy-free option, this recipe already is; for a lower-carb swap, use zucchini noodles or a small amount of whole-wheat pasta and reduce corn.