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Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad

This must be one of my all time favorite pasta salad recipes! I've seen the avocado pasta sauce trend and it piqued my interest. Just avocado and citrus didn't seem to offer enough flavor, and garlic was overpowering. The addition of spinach, basil, and roasted tomatoes fit the bill. 

Free from peanuts, nuts, dairy, egg, soy, fish, shellfish

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tbsp. + 1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup + 2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup loose fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large avocado
1 tsp salt
4 cups cooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 - 2 tbsp. finely diced red onion

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the tomatoes out on the tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Mix them all around to coat evenly with your hands. Bake for 30 minutes or until shriveled and soft.

Add the remaining olive oil, 1 cup of spinach, basil, lemon juice, avocado, and salt to a food processor and pulse until smooth. 

Toss the hot pasta with the avocado dressing, then add the spinach and the tomatoes and toss well. Sprinkle the red onion on top to your liking.

Serves 4