Avocado Pasta Salad

This Avocado Pasta Salad is one that’ll be different than all the others on the cookout table.  It’s creamy, bright, packed full of (hidden) spinach, and it just happens to be vegan friendly!

I love it when I’m looking for something quick and easy to make that’ll also be crowd pleasing and I stumble upon a recipe like this.  This Avocado Pasta Salad was fast to make and wonderfully different than your standard cookout side.  Plus, it’s packed full of nutrition without tasting like it’s trying to be healthy!

 Fresh. Isn’t that what summer sides (ok let’s be honest, all summer food), should be?  Yes.  Yes it should.  And since it’s fresh corn season, put in the little added work and make it with some fresh off the cob corn. You have all year to eat frozen corn, summer should be filled with fresh corn salads like this and our Grilled Corn and Pepper Salad!

And do you see all of that spinach?  That’s right. Spinach.  Vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, vitamin C packed spinach.  This with the good fat of fresh avocados, garlic, and some fresh lemon juice and it’s a creamy, bright, super duper healthy dressing.  Take that you boring old bottled Italian dressing pasta salad! ;P 

I’ll admit, there’s a sweet spot in my heart for those pasta salads. It’s what I grew up on!  Plus, I already have a weakness to all things pasta.  But all the fresh, healthy goodness in this salad makes me feel way less guilty about how much of it I ate.  Plus, it made the baby happy – who’s getting ready to make his / her appearance any day now!

M loved this salad.  And it was definitely one I was more than happy to give her a second helping of!

The sweet fresh corn.  The pop of acidity from the cherry tomatoes. The creamy but bright dressing and just a kiss of fresh parsley?  Avocado Pasta Salad: summer salad win! 

Throw some Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Breasts on the grill and fill some glasses with a dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, and I’ll be right over!  😀  

5 from 8 votes

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Avocado Pasta Salad

This Avocado Pasta salad is one that'll be different than all the others on the cookout table.  It's creamy, bright, packed full of (hidden) spinach, and it just happens to be vegan friendly!

Course Side Dish

Keyword pasta salad, sides, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Author Adapted From Natasha's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Rotini Pasta
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 3 medium avocaods
• 1 1/2 cup cherry, grape (or a mix!) tomatoes, halved
• 2 ears fresh corn, boiled (or grilled) and kernels removed from cob
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Cook pasta by boiling in approximately 4 cups of water for 7-10 minutes until done.  Run pasta under cold water, drain, and then add to a large mixing bowl.  

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, add 2 avocados, 1/2 spinach, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend and then add the rest of the spinach and continue to blend until creamy.  

3. Add tomatoes and corn to pasta, mix, and add avocado spinach mixture.  Mix well, add more salt to taste.  Dice the final avocado and add with parsley. Mix well and serve.  Or make ahead up to 3-4 hours and cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.