Mexican Pasta Bake

Tired of the same ol' routine on Taco Tuesday? This Mexican pasta bake is an easy recipe that wins in both the flavor and creativity department. It can be a snack, party food, lunch, or regular dinner. Pasta is tossed with a creamy avocado sauce, black beans, corn, cilantro, and crumbled tortilla chips for crunch. Then, it's baked until warm and topped with even more avocado, sour cream, and plenty of hot sauce.

MEXICAN PASTA BAKE [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE AVOCADO SAUCE:

• 3 ripe avocados
• 3 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• Water, to thin if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE MEXICAN PASTA BAKE:

• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1 7-ounce  can corn
• Cilantro
• 8 ounces gluten-free pasta
• Crumbled gluten-free tortilla chips for the sauce, plus more for garnish
• Hot sauce, for serving
• 1 avocado, cubed
• Cherry tomatoes
• Vegan sour cream

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE AVOCADO SAUCE:

1. Combine all ingredients (reserve half of the avocados for later) in a blender and process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water.

TO MAKE THE MEXICAN PASTA BAKE:

1. Cook the pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions. Drain and transfer the pasta to a bowl.
2. Drain the black beans and the corn. Add to the bowl together with the avocado sauce and mix well.
3. Take two handfuls of the tortilla chips and crush them. Mix into the pasta mix. Take more, if you like.
4. Preheat oven to 390°F. Transfer the pasta mix to a baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the Mexican pasta bake from the oven. Chop the cilantro, cherry tomatoes, and the avocado half and distribute on top.
6. Serve with vegan sour cream and hot sauce.

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