Creamy pasta is total comfort food and this Creamy Avocado Pasta is ready in under 15 minutes. A creamy pasta sauce doesn't have to be unhealthy, and we have made a super creamy sauce by blending up some avocado and adding lemon and basil for extra flavour.
This is kind of like a guacamole pasta, but not. It's got the blended avocado vibes going on, but then with plenty of garlic (seriously, the more the better), some lemon juice and basil. Mix it all up and you have yourself a delicious and light pasta sauce that will cling to any pasta shape you have hanging about your cupboard.
Avocados never get wasted in our house, so when we have one that is getting past its best and we need dinner in a flash, this gets made.
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Why should you try it?
- A delicious way to use avocados
- Ready in under 15 minutes
- Vegan
- Easy to adapt
What you will need
- Pasta - any pasta will work, but we used riccioli pasta as the sauce clings really well to it. Fusilli or penne are easier to find, and will work just as well.
- Avocado - make sure they are nice and ripe.
- Lemon - to add some sharpness to the sauce
- Garlic and basil - to flavour the sauce. Adjust to your own preference. You can use coriander (cilantro) instead of basil if you prefer.
- Water - or more if you prefer a thinner sauce.
- Spring onions (scallions) - to serve (optional).
- Red chilli flakes - to serve (optional).
Step by step
One: Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (about 10-12 minutes)
Two: Put the avocado, water, lemon, garlic, basil and salt and pepper in to a blender and blend until smooth.
Three: Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add the avocado mix.
Four: Mix well.
Five: Transfer to bowls and sprinkle over spring onions (scallions) and chilli flakes.
Avocado pasta sauce
If you struggle to get healthy fats in to your kids diet, then avocado is a great way to increase it, as it doesn't have a very strong flavour, more of a texture, and it can be hidden in to meals and blended in to a sauce.
If your kids are anything like mine, then they will love pasta, so make the most of that by making a pasta sauce with avocado to increase their intake of this green gold. The most appealing part of it to kids, is the bright green colour. Which is why this pasta has been referred to as "Monster Pasta" before. Whatever gets them eating it, right?!
What pasta to use
This pasta sauce is really think (unless you make it thinner with more water), so it clings to pretty much any pasta really well. We used riccioli, which can be quite difficult to find in shops, but anything like penne, fusilli or even spaghetti will work. That's the great thing about this sauce - it goes with any pasta.
What vegetables can you add?
You can give it even more of a nutrient boost, and some extra colour by blending some spinach and/or cooked peas in to it. Whatever you think your kids will enjoy.
We like to keep it simple and don't usually add anything else in to it, but you could add some quick cooking chunky veg like mushrooms, courgette or aubergine that have been sauteed. A little bit of sweetcorn is nice in this too.
I like to add a sprinkle of red chilli on top just before serving, as I think it really brings out the lemon in the dish.
What protein can you add?
You could use this pasta sauce as a base to make kind of an avocado carbonara. Add some grated Parmesan to it and then some cooked chopped bacon. Bacon and avocado go so well together.
Other ways we have varied this dish in the past include topping with grilled chicken, salmon or prawns. You could add some cooked tofu, tuna or beans, or just keep it how it is.
FAQs
This is an very healthy meal. Avocados can be quite high in fat, but they are the healthy monosaturated fats, which are good for the heart. Avocados are also abundant in vitamins K, C, B5, B6, E, folate and potassium. They are full of fibre and can also help to reduce cholesterol and help with eye health. Pretty much the ideal superfood!
The key is to pick a ripe but not over-ripe avocados. We like Hass avocados. Try to look for avocados that give a bit to a gentle squeeze. But you don't want one that it too soft, as it will be over ripe.
Don't worry if when you cut in to it there are some bruised or brown bits, as you can scoop those out and discard.
This is a great meal to help with baby led weaning. Make sure your baby is confident at eating solids (at least 8 months old) and use a pasta that he/she can easily grip, like the shapes we suggest above. We would suggest leaving out (or at least reducing) the garlic and also omitting the chilli flakes. Give your little one a bowl of this avocado pasta and let them dig in! It will be messy - but they will love it!
Extra tips
- Use any pasta you have in the cupboard that needs using, this sauce works with everything.
- Feel free to add more garlic, as you can never have too much.
- Add some protein to this dish by topping with some grilled chicken, salmon or prawns.
- Make an avocado carbonara by stirring some Parmesan and cooked chopped bacon in to the sauce.
- A little bit of feta crumbled on top is delicious.
More avocado recipes
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Recipe card
Creamy Avocado Pasta
Ingredients
- 120 g dried pasta
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 1 avocado
- 60 ml water
- 10 g fresh basil chopped
- 4 spring onions
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (about 10-12 minutes)
- Put the avocado, water, lemon, garlic, basil and salt and pepper in to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and stir in the avocado mix.
- Transfer to bowls and sprinkle over spring onions and chilli flakes.
Notes
- Use any pasta you have in the cupboard that needs using, this sauce works with everything.
- Feel free to add more garlic, as you can never have too much.
- Add some protein to this dish by topping with some grilled chicken, salmon or prawns.
- Make an avocado carbonara by stirring some parmesan and cooked chopped bacon in to the sauce.
Louise Decloedt
It looks fresh, good and healthy.
You have many pastas on your blog and they look all really great.
I often eat guacamole so I know how it tastes. It tastes good and I love it.
Thank you for this receipt.
Aly
We absolutely love avocado! This sounds really delicious, on the menu plan for next week.
Krissy
My family found it too lemony, and I used small lemons. My husband loves basil, but it was drowned out by the lemon flavor. My 20month old LOVES avo but made quite a face when he tried the pasta, 3 different times. I think I'll put in less lemon next time. I just want to keep the avo from browning. I thought it was good but I felt it needed less lemon too.
Dannii
Hello, thanks for your feedback. I think it comes down to personal taste, as well as the lemons used, as there have been comments from people that have loved it too. The lemons I have used have hardly had any juice in them, so I have used 2. I have amended the recipe to state this :)
Rath
Wow it is an awesome avocado pasta recipe surely i will try this recipe tomorrow itself because my kid loves pasta a lot and that too you have prepared the pasta with avocado i hope she loves it very much
Try to come out with different recipes using avocado so that it will be useful for her health
Emily Leary
Sounds really delicious. I love avocado and keep hearing it's a great vegan alternative to creamy sauces - you've convinced me to try it.
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
Love this creamy pasta! Anything with avocado always has my vote:) It looks delicious!
Lilinha Espindula
The creamy avocado pasta looks delicious, especially with the chilli flakes - yum! :) x
shobha
Delicious and creamy !
Sus @ roughmeasures.com
Oh Dannii what a great idea! I LOVE avocados and am always on the lookout for new avo-ideas!
Laura
This sounds so yummy! I find it hard to stop myself eating ALL the avocados just as they are, straight out of the fruit bowl - but I should really try them in some recipes. This looks like a great place to start :)
Emily
Wow, looks delicious! Definitely want to try this recipe :)
Rachel
I'm totally the person who only uses avos for guacamole! My fella likes them on toast, or eating with a spoon but I'm just not that into them like that. This looks much more like my cup of tea! :)
Savita @ ChefDeHome
Dannii, this pasta looks so delicious and creamy! I'm so fond of avocado and I bet this lemony avocado sauce will taste yummmm with pasta!
Elizabeth
I only recently tried avocado pasta and fell in love with it! It's going to be a regular occurrence in my kitchen, I think. I'll have to give your delicious recipe a try!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
I love the sound of this creamy avocado pasta, the amount of avocados i eat now is impressive but I am dying to try them like this. Great idea Dannii!
Ally Messed Up Mum
This looks beautiful! Glad I came across this blog, I need some new recipe ideas x
amy
i absolutely love avocado so this just sounds so perfect! xx
Claire @foodiequine
I made this for lunch yesterday! Well I made my own version as I couldn't remember who had posted a fab photo on Instagram - sorry!
I used spaghetti, avocado, salt and black pepper and smoked paprika. Just mashed with a fork not blitzed. It was gorgeous. Will spice it up a wee bit next time with garlic and chilli. Thanks for the inspiration!