Avocado pasta salad is an easy and healthy side dish for dinner, cookouts and parties. It's super creamy and filled with veggies and it's also vegan, gluten free and dairy free!
16ouncesgluten free pastaI used banza chickpea Rotini
4ears of cornkernels removed from the cobb
1pintgrape tomatoeshalved (about 2 cups)
½cupred onionchopped
1avocadopitted and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1tablespoonfresh chopped chives
1 1/2teaspoonsfine grain sea salt plus more to taste
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook pasta according to package instructions - I cooked 16 oz pasta in 4 Qts water with 1 tablespoon salt and boiled 8-9 minutes for the Banza pasta. About 4 minutes before pasta is done cooking, add the corn to the boiling water and pasta and cook for 4 minutes until corn is crisp. Rinse corn and pasta under running cold water to chill pasta. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
In a food processor or blender, combine half of the spinach, 3 roughly halved avocados, lemon juice, garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse until blended then add 2 cups of spinach and blend until creamy and smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if the mixture is too thick. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add avocado sauce to pasta bowl and toss with a wooden spoon to coat the pasta and corn. Add the halved tomatoes, chopped avocado, red onion, chives, salt and pepper. Toss salad together until evenly coated. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper. Chill for one hour then serve same day.