Try this Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 4.01316895833333 g
- Cholesterol 23.52 mg
- Fat 23.9251829166667 g
- Fiber 0.780402089421948 g
- Protein 3.052634375 g
- Saturated Fat 5.40382454166667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (86g)
- Sodium 405.059291666667 mg
- Sugar 3.23276686891139 g
- Trans Fat 2.09026366666667 g
- Calories 239 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Once tender drain the pasta and run cold water throughout to cool the pasta down. Place in a large bowl.
- To prepare the dressing add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the cooled pasta and toss to coat.
- Fold in the diced avocado, grape tomatoes, bacon, and basil. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Swapping ranch dressing for a dairy-free tahini emulsion alters the fat profile significantly while maintaining the necessary viscosity to coat large shell pasta. Rinsing cooked pasta under cold running water halts internal starches from overcooking and cools the surface sufficiently to prevent premature avocado browning. Blending the dressing ingredients until completely smooth ensures emulsification holds when combined with the lime juice acid. Avocados contain polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme that triggers rapid oxidation upon exposure to ambient air. Consequently, storing this assembled dish requires pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface of the salad to minimize oxygen contact, limiting refrigeration safely to forty-eight hours maximum. Freezing remains entirely unviable because the high water content inside fresh tomatoes and avocados ruptures cell walls during ice crystal formation, resulting in a watery, disintegrated texture upon thawing. Doubling or halving the batch requires precise adjustment of the cooking water volume, maintaining a ratio of four quarts of boiling water per pound of pasta to prevent starch buildup.
