Easy and fresh, this Avocado Pesto Pasta is perfect for warm weather, made with fresh basil, tangy lime, creamy avocado and a sprinkle of Parmesan in just 20 minutes!
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Sigh. It's almost Spring, right? Our anniversary is on the first day of Spring, so I know it's coming up this week on the calendar. But I'm really looking forward to fresh Spring recipes with fresh fruit and veggies that are light and easy to make, like this Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe. So easy to make! The hardest part is cooking the noodles. No joke!
To make this Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe, boil your noodles according to the box instructions. The recipe calls for penne, but you can use any noodles. I love rotini and cavatappi because they look so fun! When your pasta is cooked, drain. If you'd like to eat this recipe warm, then just set the noodles aside for a minute. Avocado Pesto Pasta is also yummy cold, like a pasta salad. So if you'd like a nice refreshing lunch on a warm day, rinse your noodles in cold water before setting aside.
The sauce is the easiest part. Place your avocados, basil, garlic, and lime juice in a food processor. Blend until combined. Add your olive oil in a very small, steady stream. I recommend using extra light olive oil so that the olive oil flavor isn't too overpowering. I buy a huge bottle here from Amazon to use for a few different things, like salad dressings and homemade mayo.
All you have left to do is combine the pasta and the sauce now! So combine them together in a big bowl or the pot you cooked the pasta in. Toss in the Parmesan cheese and you're ready to go. Serve your Avocado Pesto Pasta with a little extra Parmesan cheese on top with a cool, crisp green salad with cucumbers and a tangy vinaigrette. Yum!
Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe
Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- ¾ cup roasted salted pepitas
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 ripe avocado halved, seeded and peeled
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces pasta
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain remaining and set aside.
- Add remaining ingredients to the food processor. Process until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- To pasta, add 2 cups pesto and reserved pasta water. Toss to coat.
- Serve topped with additional pepitas, Parmesan, and basil.
Notes
- Storage
Nutrition
Did you like this Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe? Find more on my Pasta, Dinner Ideas, and Spring boards on Pinterest!
If you liked this Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe, you might also like
Fresh Zucchini Farfalle Pasta Salad
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