Creamy avocado and basil pesto smothers this delicious pasta salad topped with tomatoes, corn and green onion. A perfectly colourful and flavourful dish to bring to your next potluck or picnic. Pesto pasta salad is always a great choice to feed a crowd, and this version is free from oil, dairy and most common allergens, making it a great take along recipe.
How do you make pesto pasta salad?
Start by cooking your pasta of choice, according to package directions for “al dente” pasta. I like penne, but any short variety of pasta will work. Rotini or bow tie pasta would also be great here. Make sure you do not over cook your pasta, and drain and rinse immediately to prevent it from getting too soft.
While your pasta is cooking, add all the pesto ingredients to a blender and process until smooth and creamy, then pour it over your cooked pasta and mix well. Pretty simple right?
I add corn, sliced grape tomatoes and green onions to this dish, but you could also experiment with different toppings.
You may want to add some black olives for a little more tang, or even pine nuts for some crunch. Need it gluten free? Just swap out the pasta for your favourite gluten free variety.
For more summer favourites, check out these recipes below!
- Banana Nice Cream – 3 Flavours!
- Lemon Herb Grilled Zucchini – Oil Free
- Strawberry Banana Bread [V+GF]
- The BEST Vegan Summer Recipes
- Oil Free Cowboy Caviar Dip
- Mexican Salad with 3 Minute Guacamole
- Sweet Hummus Fruit Dip [V+GF]
- Grilled Tomatoes with Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread [Vegan+GF+Oil Free]
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole grain penne pasta or your choice
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half (approx 2 cups)
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
For the Creamy Pesto
- 1/3 cup fresh basil packed
- 1 avocado peel & pit removed
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened cashew milk or soy milk to make it nut free
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions for "al dente" pasta. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water once cooked to prevent over cooking and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, combine all your pesto ingredients in your blender and process until smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and mix well to prevent sticking. Then add the tomatoes, onion and corn and mix to combine. You may wish to reserve some of the green onion to garnish on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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