I’m a tad avocado obsessed, and I’m happy to admit it. Alongside devouring the classic avocado on toast, I’ve shared recipes for chocolate avocado mousse, avocado ice-cream, and eve How To Make Avocado Oil. Now it’s the turn of this creamy avocado pasta. I’ve recently shared several pasta recipes, including the viral TikTok baked feta pasta with tomatoes, Easy Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta, and Simple Roasted Red Pepper Pasta – all delicious and hearty. However, this creamy avocado pasta (aka green pasta) is light – it tastes decadent without being ‘heavy.’ All you need for this avocado pasta is just 5 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper), one pan, and a blender. There’s no cream, butter, or any other ‘heavy’ ingredients either. Instead, this avocado pasta sauce combines avocado with basil, lemon, and garlic. Let’s not forget, it is also packed with the health benefits of avocados, including being packed with heart-healthy fats, several vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. Depending on what you serve the green pasta with, you can have a truly nutrient-dense meal! In fact, best of all, there are tons of ways to enjoy this avocado pasta sauce – with the pasta of your choice, add-ins of your choice, served as vegan avocado pasta or not, etc. Keep reading for some of my favorite ways to adapt and serve this avocado basil pasta. Once ready, enjoy the green pasta warm or as a cold avocado pasta salad – perfect for a weeknight meal, work lunch, potlucks, BBQs, and more!
The Ingredients
Pasta: you can use your favorite pasta of choice, including grain-free, gluten-free (like this oat pasta), vegan, etc. Spaghetti, linguine, pasta shells, even spaghetti squash, etc. This will also go well with gnocchi and Ravioli. For a low-carb meal, you can use zoodles instead. Avocado: make sure to use a ripe, slightly tender avocado without too much bruising/discoloration for the best results. Basil leaves: will pack tons of flavor and increase the green color of the pasta sauce. Lemon: the zest and juice of a lemon will really brighten up this green pasta sauce. You could also use lime if that’s all you have. Garlic: an obsession of mine – feel free to adjust the amount to personal preference. If you don’t like the ‘bite’ of raw garlic, you can add it to the pan of cooking pasta for 3-4 minutes, use lightly sauteed, roasted, or even garlic confit. Salt & Pepper: to season. Pasta water: using a little of the leftover pasta water will not only save you from using more water, but it will also help the sauce to better adhere to your pasta. You can combine a little leftover pasta water with the dairy-free milk of your choice for a creamier sauce.
Optional Add-ins
There are tons of optional extras you can add to or serve with this pasta and creamy avocado sauce. Some of my favorites include:
Spinach or kale (massaged or cooked): you can add these leafy greens to the pasta or even into the green pasta sauce. If you’re using kale, I suggest cooking the leaves with your pasta for 3-4 minutes before adding to the blender. Herbs and seasonings: feel free to experiment with different herbs and seasonings for a different flavor. For example, add parsley or mint to the green sauce. You could also add red pepper flakes or chili powder to the sauce. Parmesan: for more avocado ‘pesto’ sauce vibes, then you could add 2-3 Tbsp grated parmesan or Romano cheese when blending. For a vegan option, you could use nutritional yeast instead. Nuts: pine nuts, walnuts, etc., can be added to the sauce for texture and flavor. Or they can be crushed, toasted, and sprinkled over the served pasta. Tomatoes: fresh or roasted cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped), or even tomato confit. Protein: top the avocado pasta with the sliced protein of your choice – like this crispy tofu or marinated tofu, chicken, salmon, etc. Vegetables: tons of vegetables work well with the avocado pasta sauce, including sauteed mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, corn, snow peas, sliced olives, leeks, artichoke heart, etc. – the list goes on and on. You could also add in leftover baked vegetables like pumpkin (using the method for roasted pumpkin puree) or other squash, baked sweet potato, broccoli/cauliflower, etc.
How To Make Creamy Avocado Pasta
First, cook your pasta according to the package instructions and your preferred level (al dente vs. more tender). When draining the pasta, keep around 1 cup of the pasta water to one side. To prepare the green sauce, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend into a smooth sauce. I like to start by adding just 1/3 of the pasta water and then adding more until I’ve thinned the avocado sauce into my desired consistency. Give the sauce a taste, increase the seasonings/lemon if preferred, and then combine with the pasta, mix well, and serve! Optionally, top with a little parmesan (or nutritional yeast for a vegan alternative).
How To Store
This avocado pasta is best enjoyed immediately. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. However, I’ve found that the flavor seems to mellow as it sits, so you may want to add a little extra lemon juice or seasonings before serving. I haven’t tried freezing the creamy avocado sauce as I imagine it could impact the flavor and texture negatively. However, feel free to experiment – I suggest freezing in an airtight container for between 1-2 months.
Recipe Notes
You can save the drained pasta water and use it within other sauces or within bread recipes that call for water. If you don’t want to use it immediately, then you can freeze it in an ice-cube tray. Avoid using it to water plants unless the water is unsalted! You can use a food processor to blend the avocado pasta sauce. However, it may not be as smooth as using a high-speed blender. If you reheat the pasta, be aware that avocado changes flavor when heated.
Other Pasta Recipes
Homemade Ricotta And Spinach Ravioli Easy Homemade Potato Gnocchi ‘Zoodles’ With Home-made pistachio Pesto Simple Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Easy Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta Baked Feta and Cherry Tomato Pasta All-Natural Homemade Rainbow Pasta How To Make Vegan Pasta At Home How To Make Oat pasta (3 Ingredient Gluten-free Pasta) Easy Garlic Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone) Garlic Cream Sauce (Garlic Alfredo Sauce)
And, if you are a fan of avocado, you might enjoy this Avocado Butter (Avocado Compound Butter). If you try this green pasta with creamy avocado sauce recipe, then let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments. I’d also really appreciate a recipe rating and would love to see your recreations – just tag @AlphaFoodie.
