Tossed in avocado lime dressing, this vegan Southwestern pasta salad is a mix of grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, radishes and scallions.
I used to think it was a bit much how some people go head over heels for avocado, but now I’m one of them.
And yes, finally I get the enthusiasm for avocado toast and adding avocado whenever and wherever it seems appropriate.
Lately, I have been all about using avocado as a base for pasta sauce. I make this 15-minute vegan pasta at least once a week.
Now that has inspired me to do a summer version.
This Southwestern pasta salad is tossed in an avocado lime dressing that comes together in minutes in a food processor or blender.
I am always amazed how the pasta, corn, black beans and tomatoes soak up that bright green, garlicky and herby dressing.
The final result is a filling vegan pasta salad that’s big on vegetables with a creamy dressing that has the flavors of avocado, lime, cilantro and garlic.
It is a very sharable pasta salad that’s perfect for a summer potluck.
This is what you need for this pasta salad:
First, I preheat the grill to get the outside cooking out of the way. I grill three ears of corn until they are lightly charred.
Back inside, I slice the kernels off the cobs once they are cool enough to handle.
Then I make the pasta according to package instructions. Right when the pasta is al dente, I drain the cooking water through a colander and rinse the noodles to stop them from cooking. Also, I want to make sure they don’t stick together.
In a large bowl, I combine the pasta with the grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, radishes, scallions and chopped cilantro.
Now it’s time for the avocado lime dressing, which is my favorite part of the recipe.
You can use a food processor or blender to puree avocado, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper into a creamy vegan dressing.
Then stir the dressing into the pasta and vegetables. It will look like a lot, but it ends up lightly coating all the ingredients.
This pasta salad is a great side especially with a grilled main dish.
You can also turn it into more of a salad by adding whatever greens you have in your kitchen such as kale, arugula, romaine or spinach.
PrintTossed in avocado lime dressing, this vegan Southwestern pasta salad is a mix of grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, radishes and scallions.
Good and easy recipe
★★★★★