Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad

Last week we had our final cooking club of the year  It was a fun year of planning dishes around a different color each month. To wrap up the year we ended with the rainbow. At first I wasn’t sure if that meant any color of the rainbow, or our dish should be a rainbow of colors. I figured it was the later, so that is what I did. Turns out I was right, that is what everyone did! Complete with over the top rainbow cupcakes and rainbow jello (layered with 8 different colors), it was definitely a colorful and delicious day!

I had seen this avocado pasta salad at Two Peas & Their Pod awhile ago, and it just stuck with me.  I am a HUGE avocado fan, if you hadn’t figure that out by now.  The pasta and veggies are tossed in a creamy avocado dressing that is just perfect.  It is tangy, creamy, fresh, and has a tiny bit of heat at the end.

I used black beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, and red (purple) onions for my rainbow.  Not bad, if you ask me!  I am not a fan of bell peppers, but those would add lots more colors to this salad.  With summer around the corner, this creamy avocado pasta salad would be a hit to bring to any barbeque or potluck.  Or to make on those hot nights when you don’t feel like turning on the oven.

I am always sharing new recipes over at Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts.  I would love if you stopped over to say Hi!

Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

• 12 oz pasta, cooked according to the directions and cooled

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

• ½ cup red onion, diced

• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

• 1 California Avocado, diced

• ½ lime

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

Creamy Avocado Dressing

• 2 small California Avocados

• 3 Tbls plain Greek Yogurt (I used nonfat)

• ½ cup low-fat buttermilk

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbls cilantro, chopped

• 2 Tbls green onions, chopped

• ½ jalapeno, minced

• 1 lime, juiced

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. To make the Creamy Avocado Dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. You can also use a food processor.

2. In a large bowl combine the pasta and all of the veggies. Toss with about ½-2/3 of the dressing. Season with the salt and pepper. Squeeze the ½ of a lime over the salad, and toss together. Add additional dressing if desired.

3. Store the leftover dressing in the fridge for up to a week. Add additional buttermilk if it gets too thick.

Notes

Adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod