Creamy Avocado Pasta Dish (Printable Version)

A fresh and creamy avocado sauce coats tender pasta with basil and lemon notes.

# What You 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)

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The creamy sauce coats every strand without any cream or heavy ingredients.
  • It works just as well as a light summer meal or a quick weeknight dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; the starch in it is what transforms the avocado from a chunky spread into a flowing, glossy sauce.
  • Work quickly once the pasta is drained because it cools fast, and cold pasta won't absorb the sauce the way warm pasta does.
  • If you have guests who are vegan, use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan and it tastes just as good.
03 -
  • If your avocados are rock-hard, leave them in a paper bag with a banana overnight; the ethylene gas ripens them quickly without turning them mushy.
  • Blend the sauce in stages if you're making it for the first time, tasting after each addition of salt and lemon so you don't accidentally overseasoned or over-tart the whole batch.
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