Creamy Avocado Pasta Dish (Printable)

Vibrant pasta tossed in creamy avocado sauce with fresh herbs and lemon zest, perfect for a quick, fresh meal.

# What 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 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
07 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
09 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Extra grated Parmesan
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 instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Combine avocados, garlic, basil leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding reserved pasta water gradually to adjust consistency.
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 lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 20 minutes, which means weeknight dinner that doesn't feel rushed or compromised.
  • The avocado sauce is silky enough to feel luxurious but made with ingredients you probably already have.
  • Lemon keeps everything bright and fresh instead of heavy, so you won't feel weighed down after eating.
02 -
  • The pasta water is not an afterthought—that starch is what helps the avocado sauce emulsify instead of sliding off the noodles, so don't skip reserving it.
  • If your avocados aren't perfectly ripe, the sauce will be grainy instead of silky, so choose ones that yield slightly to gentle pressure.
03 -
  • Buy your avocados a day or two before you plan to make this—they ripen just right and won't be mushy or rock-hard when you need them.
  • If your blender struggles or you don't have one, a fork and elbow grease can mash the avocado smoothly enough, especially if you're patient and methodical about it.
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