During the summer a good macaroni salad recipe is the perfect side dish to serve with almost any type of dinner. This bacon and avocado pasta salad has a little different flavor than you would find in the average pasta salad. It gets most of this flavor because of the dressing. The dressing combines ingredients such as mayonnaise, thyme, lemon zest and lemon juice to create a rather unique flavor. This recipe does require a little bit of prep work but it is very easy to prepare. You can serve this as a side dish with grilled chicken or steak or even serve it as the main course. Enjoy. Adapted from damn delicious.
(Makes 4 Servings)
PrintBacon and Avocado Pasta Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 5 slices of bacon (diced)
- 2 avocados (peeled, pitted, and diced)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (for garnish)
- lemon thyme dressing-
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- To prepare the dressing- in a food processor combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the blender on and add the olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown and crisp (about 6-8 minutes). Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.
- In a large bowl combine the pasta, avocado, bacon, lemon-thyme dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away and garnish with fresh thyme.
Bobby
Saturday 7th of September 2013
Tammy - I would recommend putting the avocados in when you are ready to serve the dish.
Tammy
Saturday 7th of September 2013
Looks great, can't wait to try it. Do the avocados turn dark or does the dressing prevent this? I would like to make it the day before but don't want dark mushy avocados. Thanks, love your site.
hockeygirl
Friday 19th of July 2013
MMMm! I always wish you could hand us a dish right from the computer of all these things you're making! :D
Yum!