Home Cooking: Spaghetti Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

I discovered this pasta salad one day when I had some avocados to use up and went searching for a recipe, which was found on Real Simple’s recipe site. These days I buy avocados in advance so I can make it!

This very yummy pasta salad with its creamy and flavorful avocado dressing is an ideal summer main dish salad. It doesn’t take long to put together either, and on a hot day all that needs doing is cooking the spaghetti. Spaghetti is an unusual pasta for a salad, but works perfectly for this salad as it carries the dressing well. There’s no reason though another pasta shape couldn’t be used as a substitute.

The original recipe calls for Greek yogurt, but I prefer the taste of sour cream to yogurt, and although Brett and I are avoiding all dairy except for cheese these days, we make an exception for this salad. The avocado should be blended into the dressing right before it’s time to toss with the pasta for maximum flavor.

There is also no reason small basil leaves have to be used for the topping, although it’s great way to use up those little leaves that always seem to be too small for anything else. Big leaves work just fine – either tear them into smaller pieces or chiffonade them.

SPAGHETTI PASTA SALAD with AVOCADO DRESSING

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ½ cup water 
• ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (save some small leaves for serving) 
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• ¾ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon black pepper 
• 2 small ripe avocados 
• 5 cups cooked spaghetti 
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half (about 6 ounces) 
• ⅓ cup chopped and toasted almonds

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions; drain and rinse with cool water until not longer hot; set aside.

Blend together the yogurt (or sour cream) with the water. Add the basil leaves and blend until smooth, then add in the honey (or maple syrup), salt and pepper. Cut the avocados into small cubes, and blend until the dressing is smooth and creamy.

Place the spaghetti into a large bowl, then combine with the dressing until all the spaghetti is well coated.

To serve, place 1/4 of the spaghetti into individual serving bowls or on plates, then top each serving with some halved tomatoes, toasted almonds, and small basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Leftover salad keeps well in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.