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Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad
A quick, light, and flavorful pasta made with an herby avocado pesto! Just 10 simple ingredients required and seasonally adaptable!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 (Servings)
Calories: 362 kcal
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
Vegan
Ingredients
PASTA
- Water for boiling
- 1 Tbsp salt (for seasoning the water)
- 12 oz. dry gluten-free pasta (we like Trader Joe’s Brown Rice & Quinoa Fusilli)
SAUCE
- 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh parsley (loosely chopped before measuring)
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (loosely chopped before measuring)
- 3 Tbsp loosely packed fresh chives (loosely chopped before measuring // if you don’t have chives, sub more of the other herbs)
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup ripe mashed avocado
- 1/3 cup water (plus more as needed)
- 3 large cloves garlic
- 1 tsp Coconut aminos (for depth of flavor // or sub half the amount of tamari)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional // for more earthy, floral flavor)
FOR SERVING optional
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 2 quarts (~1.9 liters) of water to a boil, and add 1 Tbsp salt to season pasta water (amounts written as original recipe // adjust as needed if adjusting serving size).
- While water is coming to a boil, make the sauce. To a small blender or food processor, add parsley, basil, chives, lemon juice, avocado, water, garlic, coconut aminos, salt, pepper, and olive oil (optional). Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Sauce may seem a little thick but will loosen when it’s added to the pasta.
- Once water is boiling, cook gluten-free pasta according to package directions. Then drain pasta and immediately transfer to a medium serving bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust, adding more salt if needed, lemon for more zing, or chopped basil for more herbiness.
- Serve immediately. Option to garnish with veggies of choice (such as chopped sun-dried tomatoes — rehydrated if fully dry), vegan parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon juice. Best served fresh at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Not freezer friendly.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/4 tsp of the salt in the pasta water (since the full tablespoon isn’t absorbed into the pasta) and without optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
362
(18%)
Carbohydrates
70g
(23%)
Protein
8.6g
(17%)
Fat
6.8g
(10%)
Saturated Fat
0.6g
(3%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.6g
Monounsaturated Fat
2.8g
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
0mg
(0%)
Sodium
466mg
(19%)
Potassium
206mg
(6%)
Fiber
5.3g
(21%)
Sugar
0.7g
(1%)
Vitamin A
597IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
14.5mg
(16%)
Calcium
21.5mg
(2%)
Iron
1.7mg
(9%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4(Servings)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 362 | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 70g | 23% |
| Protein | 8.6g | 17% |
| Fat | 6.8g | 10% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.6g | 3% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.6g | 4% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2.8g | 14% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 466mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 206mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 5.3g | 21% |
| Sugar | 0.7g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 597IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 14.5mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 21.5mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.7mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.