Description
A refreshing and creamy Avocado Pasta Salad featuring fusilli pasta tossed with a smooth avocado dressing, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Perfect as a light lunch or a side dish for warm weather meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 2 cups fusilli pasta (cooked and drained)
- 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)
- ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled, optional)
Avocado 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)
Instructions
- Boil pasta: Cook the fusilli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and let it cool to room temperature to prevent wilting of vegetables and dressing dilution.
- Prepare vegetables: Dice the ripe avocado, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and chop fresh cilantro or basil for garnish.
- Make avocado dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the large mashed avocado, olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy to create a flavorful dressing.
- Mix salad components: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled fusilli pasta with the diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese if using.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared avocado dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss everything together to evenly coat the pasta and vegetables with the creamy dressing.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish the salad with additional fresh chopped cilantro or basil and serve immediately to enjoy the vibrant flavors and freshness.
Notes
- For best results, use ripe but firm avocados to avoid an overly mushy texture.
- Serve immediately as the avocado dressing can brown if left too long.
- Feta cheese is optional and can be omitted to make the salad vegetarian.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- To make it vegan, omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Avocado pasta salad, creamy avocado dressing, fusilli pasta salad, summer salad, easy pasta salad, healthy pasta salad
