Description
This creamy avocado spinach pasta is a quick, nutritious, and flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight dinner. Featuring a smooth avocado-based sauce blended with fresh spinach, basil, pecans, and Parmesan cheese, it offers a rich, creamy texture without any dairy cream. Tossed with al dente spaghetti, this recipe combines fresh ingredients for a delightful and healthy pasta experience that can be ready in just 22 minutes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 10 ounces spaghetti (dry, or fettuccine; semolina pasta recommended)
Sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- ¾ to 1 cup pasta water
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Make the avocado sauce: In a blender, combine the garlic, ripe avocado, fresh spinach, pecans, fresh basil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water to start and blend until smooth. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy sauce with desired consistency.
- Assemble: Toss the cooked pasta in a large bowl with the creamy avocado sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately for best flavor and color, as the avocado sauce can brown over time.
Notes
- Use ripe avocado for the creamiest texture and best flavor.
- Reserved pasta water helps adjust the sauce consistency and adds flavor.
- This sauce is best served fresh to avoid browning from the avocado.
- For a nut-free version, substitute pecans with sunflower seeds or omit them.
- Use gluten-free pasta if you prefer a gluten-free dish.
- You can add grilled chicken or tofu to make it a more protein-rich meal.
