Warmer temperatures mean more outdoor gatherings, parties, and picnics. It also means warmer kitchens, less long-slow cooked meals, and a desire for a crisp, cool salad. A hearty pasta salad is one of my favorite things to meet all those needs. When built correctly, a pasta salad is an excellent way to get more of things we need like micronutrients and fiber and less of things we don’t need like saturated fat.
A traditional Southern pasta salad usually comes with either rotini pasta and Italian dressing or a creamy mayonnaise-based macaroni salad. While both delicious, they can be high in saturated fat from the mayonnaise or calories from the oil.
When building a meal, it is important to include foods from all the macronutrient groups: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each have an important role in the body and support a healthy, balanced lifestyle. The source of those macronutrients matters. For carbohydrates, the majority of these choices should be complex in nature, meaning they are packed with fiber and nutrients. To accomplish this, add more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your choices. Proteins should be lean. This can be achieved by choosing leaner animal sources like fish, chicken, or low-fat dairy or through the addition of legumes. Legumes have the added benefit of also being cholesterol free and a good source of fiber. Fats should be largely unsaturated and from a whole food source. Most saturated fats come from animal sources. However, tropical oils like coconut and palm are also saturated. One quick way to tell if a fat is saturated or unsaturated, is to look at its consistency at room temperature. A saturated fat will be solid at room temperature, like butter, lard, or coconut oil. An unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature, like avocado oil or olive oil.
Opting for an oil-based vinaigrette is a great way to cut back on the saturated fat. Oils are considered an added fat as all the other nutrients have been removed from the product. Each tablespoon of added fat regardless of whether its saturated or unsaturated is approximately 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. That means it can be really easy to overdo the oil and rack up a ton of calories in a light and fresh salad recipe. Opting for a whole food source of fat allows for more volume and less calories overall. Whole food sources of fats are things like olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
My favorite pasta salad balances all these needs by choosing a whole grain pasta, highlighting spring or summer produce, packing in the protein with chickpeas, and creating a rich and creamy dressing powered by avocados.
Avocado Pasta Salad
3 cups cooked whole wheat pasta
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 medium cucumber, de-seeded and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup fresh basil
1 medium avocado, peeled and de-pitted
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup water
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Add cooked, drained, and cooled pasta, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, and tomatoes to a large bowl. In a food processor or small blender, add in basil, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Process until smooth. Drizzle in water to reach desired smoothness and consistency. Top pasta mixture with dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
