Avocado Pasta Salad with Bacon

A hearty and flavorful pasta salad made with avocado buttermilk dressing…and bacon! It’s a new favorite dish in our family!

Bacon Avocado Pasta Salad

Instead of a traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, we made our own creamy avocado buttermilk dressing. Blended with lime juice, garlic, and herbs, this is a rich and flavorful sauce that also packs a nutritious punch!

Even if your kids are not fans of avocado, they will love this dish! That’s because the avocados blend into the sauce, adding flavor and creaminess that is hard to get even from mayonnaise! Plus, they’re getting all the healthy benefits of avocados!

This avocado pasta salad also makes a fabulous dish to take to potlucks and cookouts. It pairs perfectly with barbecue, burgers, you name it! And it’s something new and unexpected on the party table!

Ingredients

8 slices bacon, cooked
1 green onion, thinly sliced
8 oz pasta, cooked and cooled
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 avocado, diced

Dressing Ingredients

1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced (approximately 1 Tablespoon)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
Salt and pepper, to taste

TIP: Toss the chopped avocado in lime juice to prevent browning.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

Food Processor

Instructions

Toss the avocado with lime juice to prevent browning.

Puree all dressing ingredients in a food processor, until smooth and creamy.

Chill the dressing in the fridge while you prepare the pasta.

Cook bacon to preferred level of doneness.

Cook pasta according to directions and strain — but don’t rinse. Allow to cool to room temperature.

TIP: To keep your pasta salad from getting too soft, cook your pasta al dente.

Add pasta to a large bowl with the dressing and crumbled bacon. Toss until all pasta is fully coated in sauce and the bacon is evenly distributed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Keep Pasta Salad From Getting Soggy?

The most important thing to do when preparing pasta salad is to cook your pasta al dente. With pasta salad, the noodles will soak up some of the sauce and become softer over time. If the pasta is overcooked to start with, the noodles will become too soft too fast.

How Long Does Pasta Salad Stay Good in the Refrigerator?

Any leftover pasta salad should be kept refrigerated, in a sealed airtight container. It can stay good for 3-4 days when properly stored. In fact, the flavors develop over time!

This is a great recipe to make ahead of time, because it can be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.