Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables
User Reviews
4.6
Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Description
This pasta salad starts by roasting a medley of vegetables—zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and red onion—seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper until tender and caramelized. Meanwhile, rotelle pasta is cooked, drained, and cooled. The creamy dressing is made by blending avocado with almond milk, pesto, and lemon juice, resulting in a bright and smooth sauce that lightly coats the ingredients.
The cooled pasta is combined in a large bowl with the roasted vegetables and halved kalamata olives, then tossed with the avocado sauce. Garnishing with grated Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts (or alternatives like pistachios or sliced almonds), and fresh basil leaves adds layers of flavor and texture. Served chilled or at room temperature, this salad suits warm-weather meals or as a tasty accompaniment on a buffet.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetables such as:, sliced, for roasting
- zucchini halved and sliced, small, green
- yellow squash halved and sliced
- red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- red onion sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomato halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
- 1 16- ounce rotelle pasta or penne pasta
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup almond milk Almond Breeze Original
- 6 ounces pesto
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ cup kalamata olives halved
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ¼ cup pine nuts pistachios, or sliced almonds, toasted
- basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F and prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the sliced veggies with olive oil and 1 teaspoon of both kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies soften and caramelize. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions, drain, rinse, and cool.
- Add the avocado to the blender jar and pulse a few times. Add the almond milk, pesto, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Blend on high until light and frothy. Add more almond milk if needed to create a lush sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl with the cooked veggies and kalamata olives. Drizzle with the avocado sauce and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the Parmesan cheese, nuts and more basil leaves if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Will keep for 1-2 days.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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