Description
Creamy “avocado basil pasta” brings Italian-inspired comfort to weeknight dinners, blending fresh herbs with silky green sauce. Quick and nutritious ingredients merge into a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne)
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
Sauce and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for vegan)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Garnish:
- ½ cup pasta water (reserved from cooking)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Toasted pine nuts or walnuts
- Extra grated Parmesan
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Fill a spacious pot with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Submerge the pasta and cook until it reaches an al dente texture, following package guidance.
- While pasta simmers, extract 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid. Carefully drain the pasta and set aside in a warm location.
- Transform ripe avocados, vibrant basil leaves, pungent garlic, and smooth olive oil into a luxurious sauce using a blender or food processor.
- Incorporate Parmesan cheese, bright lemon juice, aromatic salt, freshly ground black pepper, and fiery red pepper flakes into the blending mixture.
- Pulse the ingredients until the sauce transforms into a silky, uniform consistency. Gradually introduce reserved pasta water to achieve a velvety, pourable texture.
- Cascade the emerald-green sauce over the cooked pasta, gently folding to ensure each strand is lavishly coated.
- Assess the flavor profile, seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
- Elevate the dish’s visual appeal and taste by scattering fresh cherry tomatoes, toasted crunchy nuts, delicate Parmesan shavings, or aromatic basil leaves across the surface.
Notes
- Choose firm, ripe avocados to achieve the perfect creamy sauce texture without becoming too watery or bland.
- Save some pasta water before draining, as the starchy liquid helps create a silky, smooth sauce that clings beautifully to the noodles.
- Adjust the sauce consistency by gradually adding reserved pasta water, ensuring a luxurious coating without becoming too thin or thick.
- For a dairy-free version, replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast or omit cheese completely, maintaining the sauce’s rich, herbaceous flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg