Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad

Happy Spring everyone! With warmer days ahead of us (fingers crossed) we are excited to share some new recipes that are perfect for Spring and Summer. This Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad will be a hit at any potluck or BBQ! It’s also a great recipe that you can prep at the beginning of the week and enjoy for an easy and quick lunch or dinner! We used a can of black beans as our source of protein but you could also do a can of chickpeas, cubed tofu, or some cooked chicken as well.

Ingredients:

Avocado Pesto

• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil
• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup hemp hearts
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp water (or more as needed)
• Sprinkle of red chilli flakes
• Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta Salad

• 12 oz of your choice of pasta noodles (penne, bow-tie, rotini)
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or canned)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
• ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Method:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add the cooked and cooled pasta to a large bowl.
2. In a food processor, blend the basil, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, and olive oil. Add water while blending until the pesto is smooth. Season with red chilli flakes, salt & pepper.
3. Add the pesto sauce to the pasta and combine.
4. Mix in the black beans, corn, tomatoes and feta cheese.
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

ENJOY