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Avocado Pasta Salad

Avocado pasta salad with creamy avocado dressing coats penne or rotini for a smooth, green-tinted finish. Tossed with cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, and cilantro, it’s a fresh, lime-bright side dish that chills up nicely.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
  • 2 avocados Ripe for blending into a smooth dressing.
  • 0.25 cup lime juice Fresh juice preferred for the brightest flavor.
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved.
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 0.5 cup red onion Diced.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped, plus extra for topping if desired.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste; season the dressing and adjust to final flavor.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Cook and chill-ready pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Let the rinsed pasta sit until cool enough to handle, aiming for a cool, non-steaming texture before assembling.
Make the creamy avocado dressing
  1. Blend the avocados, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy, with no visible avocado chunks.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, corn, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Add the avocado dressing and toss until the pasta is evenly coated and looks green and glossy.
  3. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour so the flavors meld; note the avocado may brown if stored longer.
  4. Top with fresh cilantro before serving for a bright green, fresh finish.

Notes

For the smoothest creamy avocado dressing, blend until completely silky, then taste and adjust salt and pepper before tossing. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 day (avocado may brown after a few hours). Freezing is not recommended because the salad texture changes. For a dairy-free and vegan-style option, this recipe is naturally suitable as written.