When your avocados are ready, they’re ready. There is no waiting until tomorrow because they can seemingly go from perfect to spoiled overnight. This avocado whole wheat pasta salad recipe is great since you can use up two or three ripe avocados at once, and most importantly, do it in the most delicious way.
This recipe can be a weeknight time-saver, too. Prep the veggies ahead of time and set aside in a covered bowl. Ripe, summer tomatoes, fresh cilantro, crunchy green onions, crisp bacon and creamy avocados are a team made in heaven to tempt you tastebuds. Add the smooth, silky dressing to healthy whole wheat pasta, and you have one incredible meal — trust me, this pasta salad is something special.
I’ve added some flaky tuna in the past for some extra protein, and it tasted great. I’d imagine you can easily add chicken or shrimp to this dish to make it even more delicious.
Pasta salad leftovers are usually great, but avocados start to turn brown once sliced, so this pasta salad is best served on the day it’s made. If you don’t mind a little faded color, of course, the salad is perfectly safe to eat for a few days after making.
I like eating it right away when it’s still a little warm from the pasta, but when I’ve made it ahead a few hours and let it sit in the fridge, it has tasted great cold too.
Avocado Pasta Salad
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat bow ties (or your favorite similar-sized pasta)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved longways
- 10 slices of crispy turkey bacon, (set 2 aside for crumbling on top as garnish)
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 of a lime, juiced
- 1 3.8-ounce can black olives, sliced
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 of a lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- Cook pasta according to packaging.
- In a large bowl, combine all pasta salad ingredients. Set aside.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more buttermilk if dressing isn’t as thin as you would like.
- Pour dressing over ingredients in bowl and toss until coated.
- Garnish with more freshly, crumbled turkey bacon on top.
Adapted from Spend With Pennies
Also see, Citrusy, cilantro pasta salad with peas and green beans.
For ingredients and cooking supplies, everybodyshops.com.
