This avocado pasta salad is the answer to every summer potluck, weeknight side, and “what do I bring?” panic text you’ve ever sent. Chunks of ripe avocado, cherry tomatoes, and red onion are tossed with a bright lemon-and-olive-oil dressing. There is no mayo or heavy sauce, just fresh ingredients that taste like summer.
It holds up in the heat, travels well, and fills people up without weighing them down. The dressing is simple and feels almost too easy. Lemon juice, good olive oil, some seasoning, and that’s it.
It coats the pasta without competing with the fresh veggies, and because there’s no mayo, you’re not watching the clock every time it sits out at a cookout. It’s also naturally dairy-free and packed with good fats, so you can feel great about serving it to everyone.
And yes, the avocado will eventually turn brown, but I’ll show you how I keep it looking fresh. Plus, I’ve got some easy add-ins if you want to turn this into a full meal. Keep reading for the simple steps to make this summer salad.
Looking for more pasta salad ideas? Try my Amish macaroni salad, street corn pasta salad, or Hawaiian pasta salad.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
For the salad
- Pasta: I like using rotini or bowtie pasta for this recipe because the dressing clings to all those nooks and crannies, but really any short pasta shape will work. Penne, shells, or even elbow macaroni are fair game.
- Avocados: You’ll want ripe but firm avocados here.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Black olives
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Fresh oregano and basil
For the dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Sugar
How to Make Avocado Pasta Salad
- Start by prepping all your vegetables and herbs. Peel your avocado and cut it into half-inch chunks, but not too small or they’ll fall apart when you mix everything. Halve those cherry tomatoes, slice your olives if they aren’t pre-sliced, and dice up the red bell pepper and onion. If you’re using fresh oregano and basil, grab your kitchen scissors and snip them right into a small bowl.
- Fill a large pot with water, salt it generously, and bring it to a boil while you’re working on your vegetables. Once it’s at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions until it’s al dente.
- When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and immediately run cold water over it.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and sugar. Whisk everything together. Set it aside while you assemble the salad.
- Grab a big mixing bowl, because you need room to toss everything without sending vegetables flying across your kitchen. Add all your chopped vegetables, the herbs, and the cooled pasta. Pour the dressing over the top.
- Using a large wooden spoon or salad servers, gently fold everything together. You want to coat all the pasta and vegetables with dressing without smashing your avocado chunks into mush.
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to a lidded container, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Serving Ideas
For potlucks and picnics, this salad shines. Pack it in a large container and transport it in a cooler. I like to bring this to summer gatherings because it feeds a crowd and isn’t another mayonnaise-heavy pasta salad.
Serve it as a main course for a light lunch or dinner. I pair it with grilled chicken or shrimp on top to bulk it up for my family. The fresh herbs and lemon dressing make it feel substantial without being heavy.
It is also delicious alongside grilled proteins. I’ve served this next to grilled salmon, chicken breast, or steak, and it always complements rather than competes.
For meal prep, portion it into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. Just add the avocado the morning you plan to eat it (more on that in the storage section), and you’ve got a nutritious lunch ready.
How to Store
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, and this is important, I recommend leaving the avocado out of the mix until you’re ready to eat it. I know that sounds like extra work, but the avocado will oxidize and turn an unappetizing brown color if it sits with the dressing for too long.
So keep the avocado separate until serving time. Chop it up fresh right before you eat, then toss it in with the rest of the salad. This keeps everything looking vibrant and appetizing.
If you add the avocado ahead of time, press plastic wrap directly onto the salad’s surface to minimize air exposure. This creates a barrier that slows oxidation. It’s not foolproof, but it helps buy you some extra time.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Rinsing the pasta is essential for pasta salads. That cold water bath stops the cooking process immediately and washes away excess starch that would otherwise turn your salad into a gummy mess. Plus, it cools the pasta down so you’re not wilting your vegetables.
- If you’re making this ahead, hold back the avocado until closer to serving time. The lemon juice in the dressing does help slow browning, but the avocado still oxidizes. I’ll prep everything else, chill it, then fold in freshly cut avocado about 30 minutes before guests arrive.
- This recipe is wonderfully flexible. I’ve tossed in chickpeas when I needed more protein, added cucumber when my garden was overflowing, and swapped in lime juice when I was out of lemons. Fresh corn cut off the cob is fantastic in summer. Basically, treat this as a template rather than a rigid rulebook.
- That optional half teaspoon of sugar in the dressing isn’t there to make things sweet. It balances the acidity from the lemon juice and rounds out the flavors. I usually add it, but if your tomatoes are super ripe and sweet, you can skip it.
- While this needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge to let the flavors meld, I actually prefer serving it slightly cool rather than ice-cold. Pull it out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving. The flavors are brighter, and the olive oil in the dressing flows better when it’s not completely chilled.
Reader Questions
Absolutely. I’ve added grilled chicken, chickpeas, white beans, and even crumbled feta (if you’re okay with it not being dairy-free). Grilled shrimp is fantastic in this. Just toss in about 1-2 cups of your protein of choice, and you’ve got a complete meal.
Fresh herbs are brighter and more vibrant, but dried oregano and basil still deliver plenty of flavor. If you’re using dried, add them directly to the dressing and let it sit for 10 minutes before tossing with the salad. This gives them time to rehydrate.
You can, but fresh is better. Freshly squeezed lemon takes 30 seconds and makes a noticeable difference.
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Avocado Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 8 ounces dry pasta cooked al dente and cooled
- 1 or 2 avocados peeled and chunked into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes about 8 – 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup black olives pitted and sliced
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- 5 leaves fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon of dried
- 5 leaves fresh basil or 1 teaspoon of dried
For the dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
Instructions
- Prep the fresh produce. Slice and chunk the avocado, chop the olives, wash, then scissors the basil and oregano (if using fresh), dice the red onion and pepper, and quarter or halve the cherry tomatoes. Set all aside for now.
- Put water on to boil while you prep the fresh produce. Then cook the pasta according to the directions on the packaging. After cooking the pasta, drain it in a colander over the sink, then rinse it in cold water. This will stop the cooking process and help keep the pasta from sticking while it sits.8 ounces dry pasta
- Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. After you are done, just set them aside.½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon sugar
- In your large bowl, add your cut vegetables, herbs, then the dressing, then the pasta.1 or 2 avocados, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup black olives, ½ cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup red onion, 5 leaves fresh oregano, 5 leaves fresh basil
- With a large wooden spoon, gently combine all of the ingredients. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- If you’re making this ahead, hold back the avocado until closer to serving time. The lemon juice in the dressing does help slow browning, but the avocado still oxidizes. I’ll prep everything else, chill it, then fold in freshly cut avocado about 30 minutes before guests arrive.
- This recipe is wonderfully flexible. I’ve tossed in chickpeas when I needed more protein, added cucumber when my garden was overflowing, and swapped in lime juice when I was out of lemons. Fresh corn cut off the cob is fantastic in summer. Basically, treat this as a template rather than a rigid rulebook.
- That optional half teaspoon of sugar in the dressing isn’t there to make things sweet. It balances the acidity from the lemon juice and rounds out the flavors. I usually add it, but if your tomatoes are super ripe and sweet, you can skip it.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
