@FoodByMaria's Avocado Pasta Salad
Hi everyone! Maria here from FoodByMaria. I love to share with the world my delicious, healthy recipes that are primarily plant-based. This avocado pasta salad is the perfect summer recipe. Take it to a BBQ, eat it on its own, or make it for meal-prepped lunches for the week– the options are endless with this pasta salad. Plus, can you really ever get enough of avocado anything?
I love making a quick pasta salad for an easy dinner or lunch. I’m always so go-go-go that I don’t always have time to cook for hours (shocking, right?). I know that many of you are in the same boat. This pasta salad is meant to be effortless, yet delicious.
Why you’ll love this avocado pasta salad:
Quick & Easy: The prep time for this is only five minutes. That’s it!! In total it’ll take a whole 25 minutes to have this pasta salad ready to enjoy.
Versatile: Great for a side dish, on its own, as meal prep, at a potluck, at a BBQ– the list goes on. Did I mention you can also swap out the ingredients with whatever you have on hand?
Dressing: The dressing you can use on anything. Use it on a grain bowl, salad, or as a marinade.
Ingredient Notes:
Avocados: Avocados have so many great health benefits. They are high in fat, of which 60% is monounsaturated, or healthy, fat.* This type of fat helps protect against heart disease, and can even help lower blood pressure.* Avocados are also a great source of potassium, folate, and fibre.*
Cilantro: I know not everyone is a fan of cilantro. I get it. It’s actually a genetic thing that for some people it tastes like soap. If you are one of those people, feel free to swap this out for any fresh herb. Dill can be great, or parsley.
*According to the Hass Avocado Board
Expert Tips & FAQ
- How do you make this recipe? Honestly, cook up the pasta, make the dressing, layer in all the ingredients and drizzle with the dressing. That’s it. I told you it was easy.
- How do I meal prep this recipe? If you’re making the salad in advance, mix together all the ingredients apart from the avocados. Add those last to ensure ripeness and freshness. Same goes for meal prepping and lunches.
- Why do avocados go brown? The flesh starts to brown quickly on an avocado once it’s cut and that’s due to oxygen exposure. We all know this too well. This is a natural process though. The same way apples turn brown when cut. To be honest, they’ll still taste the same brown or not, but if this seems unappetizing, you can skim off the brown part and eat the rest. Alternatively, ensure that the unused portion of avocado is tightly wrapped with no air between the wrap and the avocado itself.
- How do you pick a ripe avocado? Firmness!! The firmness of the avocado will let you know its ripeness. Hold it in your palm and squeeze it gently. If it is a tad soft, it’s ripe. If it’s hard, it’s not. If you need to quicken the ripening process, place it into a brown paper bag along with a banana. Ripe bananas release a plant hormone that triggers ripening. The paper bag helps trap the ethylene gas it's omitting and speeds up the ripening process of the avocado.
This recipe is seriously simple. Switch it up and add in any veggie or herbs you love.
Make it your own and enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 large Mission Produce avocado, cut into chunks
3 cups cooked pasta of choice, I used Fusilli
1 cup grilled corn on the cob
1 tbsp umami spice (optional)
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh green onion
Dressing:
3 tbsp. Olive oil
Juice of one large lemon
2 tbsp. Honey
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
Prepare the salad by slowly adding/layering all the ingredients to a large bowl.
To make the dressing, simply add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix together till combined.
Serve with your desired dressing and mix till combined.
Notes:
If you’re making the salad in advance, mix together all the ingredients apart from the avocados. Add those last to ensure ripeness and freshness. Same goes for meal prepping and lunches.
