Creamy Avocado Pasta Dish (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta with smooth avocado sauce, fresh herbs, and lemon for a bright, satisfying dish.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Avocado Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
04 - 1 garlic clove, peeled
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Lemon zest (optional)

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In a food processor or blender, combine avocados, garlic, basil leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
03 - Toss the hot drained pasta with the avocado sauce, adding additional reserved pasta water as needed to coat the noodles evenly.
04 - Divide the pasta among plates. Garnish with extra Parmesan, fresh basil leaves, and a sprinkle of lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It feels indulgent but uses ingredients you probably already have sitting around.
  • The sauce is silky without any cream, just ripe avocados doing all the work.
  • You can have dinner on the table in the time it takes to watch half an episode of anything.
  • Leftovers actually taste good cold the next day, which almost never happens with pasta.
02 -
  • Avocado sauce doesn't keep well, it browns and loses its fresh flavor within a few hours, so only make as much as you'll eat.
  • Don't skip the pasta water, it's the secret to getting the sauce to cling instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • If your avocados aren't quite ripe, the sauce will be lumpy and bitter, so wait an extra day or two before making this.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce in a food processor instead of a blender if you want a slightly chunkier texture that clings to the noodles differently.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing it with the pasta and adjust the lemon juice or salt, because avocados vary in flavor and you want it just right.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, blend the sauce right before serving so it stays bright green and doesn't oxidize while you wait.
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