Description

This Avocado Pasta Salad is a delicious and healthy dish featuring fusilli pasta tossed with a creamy avocado dressing, fresh vegetables, and optional feta cheese. Perfect for a light lunch or a refreshing side, this recipe combines the richness of avocado with the crispness of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and herbs for a delightful blend of flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

2 cups fusilli pasta (cooked and drained)

Vegetables & Herbs

1 ripe avocado (diced)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
½ cup cucumber (diced)
¼ cup red onion (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro or basil (chopped)

Dressing

1 large avocado (mashed)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 clove garlic (minced)
½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Optional

½ cup feta cheese (crumbled)

Instructions

Boil Pasta: Cook the fusilli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Prepare Vegetables: Dice the ripe avocado, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the fresh cilantro or basil. Set aside.
Make Avocado Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the mashed large avocado, olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, chopped vegetables, and crumbled feta cheese if using. Mix gently to combine all the solid ingredients evenly.
Toss Salad: Pour the creamy avocado dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure the dressing coats all the ingredients without mashing the avocado chunks too much.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish the salad with additional fresh cilantro or basil on top and serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors and creamy texture.

Notes

This salad is best served fresh as the avocado dressing may brown over time.
To keep the avocado dressing vibrant, add a little extra lemon juice.
Feta cheese is optional; omit for a dairy-free version or substitute with vegan cheese to keep it vegan.
For added protein, consider tossing in grilled chicken or chickpeas.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste according to preference.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: avocado pasta salad, healthy pasta salad, creamy avocado dressing, vegetarian pasta salad, summer salad