This pasta salad is a meal in itself, with broccoli, artichoke hearts, olives, roasted red peppers, courgette and more. The dressing is made by mashing avocado with shop-bought dressing, making it wonderfully creamy.
My avocados weren't ripe enough, so I made this without, and it was still delicious. You can really make this according to your preference: I used 16 oz whole-wheat fusilli, omitted the broccoli and onion, roasted my own peppers, and made my own Greek dressing (red-wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, and fresh oregano). A great combination of veggies with lots of contrasting textures and vibrant flavors! It makes a ton, but as with any pasta salad, it's better the longer it sits. Can't wait to try this with avocados! UPDATE: The avocados added a nice creamy texture, but not much flavor. I think I'd rather just chop them up and mix them in with the rest of the veggies. - 03 Mar 2009 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)
It was good, but we only made for four people, and should have definitley cut in half or maybe by a third. Alot of Pasta Salad!! We had alot of leftovers. - 04 Apr 2009 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)
Loved everything except the artichokes and the zucchini. I think they gave it a sour/bitter taste. But I'm not a fan of either. Would leave them out next time. I used whole wheat pasta and it was great. Make sure you get a really ripe avocado! - 27 Apr 2009 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)