This Artichoke Avocado Pasta Salad is filled with ripe avocados, artichokes and sweet tomatoes. It's topped with a wonderful creamy dressing.
This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a barbecue or cookout because it's mayo-free and delicious!
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Why you'll love this recipe
I love this salad and I think you will too! It's perfect for a picnic or bbq. You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients. And it's delicious room temperature or cold!
Ingredients
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- rotini pasta or penne pasta
- red onion
- avocados
- marinaded artichoke hearts
- juicy tomatoes
- lemon
- honey
- Dijon mustard
Instructions
This is an overview, for detailed instructions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Cook the pasta, drain well and allow to cool completely.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar.
- Chop the veggies - drain the artichokes and chop reserving a ¼ cup of the juice for the dressing.
- Dice the avocado, squeeze ½ the lemon over the avocados to prevent them from turning brown.
- Combine the chunks of avocados, vegetables and cooked pasta. Add about half of the dressing, and mix well. Reserve the remaining dressing and add it to the salad directly before serving.
FAQ's
Because if you add salad dressing to hot pasta, it will absorb twice as much dressing and the salad will be soggy.
Immediately squeeze lemon over the avocados after dicing. This will keep them from turning brown.
This delicious pasta salad will last about three days, but it's best served immediately. You don't want the avocados to get brown.
Top Tip
This recipe calls for 3 avocados.... but... confession time.... I usually add five or six. It's just so good with extra avocados!
- When making pasta salads, cook the pasta to al dente'. Don't let it overcook and get mushy!
- Allow the pasta to cool completely before adding the dressing.
- This is delicious cold, but my personal preference is serving it at room temperature.
Storage
Refrigerate - Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to three days. Stir well before serving. You may want to add some additional salad dressing if the pasta seems dry.
Related recipes
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad - an excellent choice for Memorial Day, Labor Day or the 4th of July.
- Greek Coleslaw Recipe - mayo-free, so it's perfect for hot summer months!
- Easy Tuna Pasta Salad - we serve this at every holiday meal.
- Creamy BLT Pasta Salad - this one is always requested for a potluck!
- Italian Bowtie Pasta Salad - another mayo-free choice, it's perfect for a hot summer's day or pool party.
- Southern Style Ham Pasta Salad - you'll love this creamy salad, it's the best combination of flavors!
Serve with
- Hands down these are the BEST turkey burgers! Tender, moist and delicious. Perfect with pasta salad.
- Oh no, it's raining, and you have to move the party indoors? Learn how to cook frozen hamburger patties in the oven and still enjoy your bbq!!
Artichoke Avocado Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound package pasta
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 3 avocados
- 8 ounce jar marinaded artichoke hearts juice reserved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 lemon (divided)
- for the Dressing
- ¼ cup Juice from canned artichokes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard I used whole grain Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain well and allow to cool completely.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients, including the juice from half a lemon. Set aside.
- Chop the veggies - drain the artichokes and chop reserving a ¼ cup of the juice for the dressing. After chopping the avocado, squeeze ½ the lemon over the avocados to prevent them from turning brown.
- Combine the chopped vegetables and the pasta, add about half of the dressing and mix together well. Reserve the remaining dressing and add it to the salad directly before serving.
- This salad is best when served immediately, but the pasta and all of the vegetables (except the avocados) can be chopped ahead of time, just wait until you're ready to serve before adding the dressing to the salad.
Nutrition
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Recipe backstory
Last weekend I was at a Food Blogging Conference in Salt Lake City, UT - me and about 349 other food bloggers from around the world gathered to learn and eat, share experiences and eat, make new friends and eat - well I'm pretty sure by now you've got the picture, right?!!!
There was so much food (not complaining!) of every type that you could imagine and between each meal, snacks too!
I'm going to share more about the conference in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime - make and enjoy this salad and please come back and comment - let me know what you think!
L says
This is a wonderful salad and a complement to any meal. So very tasty.
Debra Clark says
We really enjoy with bbq - it's a go-to!
Blitzo says
Fantastic! Sounds amazing! I love avocado salad. Thank you for sharing this nutritious recipe.
Blitzo says
Amazing! I made it tonight.
Blitzo says
Avocado pasta salad is one of my mother's favorite. Making it for our lunch. Looks delicious.
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com says
This sounds fabulous! I love the avocado in there, Pinned. Thank you for sharing at the Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up 🙂
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Angela for taking the time to stop by & pinning the recipe! I always enjoy your link party!! Hope you're having a GREAT weekend!
Ilka says
What a beautiful pasta salad! Love that you added artichokes and avocado! Beautiful, healthy and yummy!
Michelle says
Making it for dinner. Looks yummy.
Bowl Me Over says
Awesome, enjoy Michelle & let me know what you think!