This post is one that’s long overdue. It’s long overdue because there are few things easier and more delicious than this pasta. I am obsessed with it. Of course, my obsession with avocados is nothing new but the idea of blending avocados into pasta was new to me when Angie made it for dinner one Friday night.
The fact that avocados are healthy for you is a delightful bonus. They’re rich, creamy and indulgent – all words that are usually associated with the phrase “need to go to the gym.” Avocados though, are full of vitamins and “good fat” so you can hardly feel guilty blending them into also-healthy whole wheat pasta.
The Parmesan cheese? Gratuitous, I know. But when have I ever deprived you of cheese?
The original recipe is from Oh, She Glows and it couldn’t have been easier to replicate. Though it does require a food processor of some sort (a blender would work too), this is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. If you want to skip the instructions completely, you could, because all you’d need to do is take each ingredient and toss them into the bowl of your food-processing device, whatever that may be and hit “blend.”
There you have it.
Creamy Avocado Pasta
What You Need:
1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
2 garlic cloves, to taste (Use one for a milder flavor, three if you love garlic)
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 servings of your choice of pasta (I used whole wheat)
Parmesan cheese (garnish, optional)
How-To:
Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, place the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. and blend until smooth. Next, add the avocado, basil, and salt and process until the mixture has a smooth and creamy consistency. Some of the basil pieces might not be completely blended – that’s fine. Toss pasta with sauce and garnish with extra basil and Parmesan cheese.
If you’re avocado-obsessed like I am, try:
Cilantro Chicken with California Avocado & Pickled Tomato Salsa from Matt Bites
Creamy Avocado Shells from The Little Yellow Kitchen
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{ 90 comments… read them below or add one }
Love this creamy avocado pasta Maris. Avocado makes a great base for sauces & pretty much everything
We would love if you submitted this recipe & any two other side dishes to the 2nd week of Get Grillin’
mmm, what a fabulous idea! i love avocado + am always looking for new ways to cook with it. seeing as i’m a crazy pasta lover, this is the perfect combination for me. going to try it later this week! =)
This looks like a delicious avocado recipe. Thanks for sharing!
simple and yummy! I love Avocados – great recipe idea…never thought of blitzing it and using it in the pasta…
-Shilpa
oh wow genius idea looks so tasty
This sounds fabulous!
ahhh avocado pasta sounds heavenly!!! LOVE this!
This looks so good! I love avocados and I would have never thought of blending one into a pasta sauce. I bet it is so creamy.
I’ve never used avocado this way, sounds cool. Like a creamy pesto.
I’ve been meaning to make this, but now you’ve really convinced me it. It looks delicious!
I TOTALLY want to try this! Josh just started eating avocados and I think he would appreciate them mashed into his pasta. Good stuff!
Yum – I adore avocados, but I’ve never thought to use them in this way.
love avocadoes. and pasta. and cheese. this is such a great combination!
Love avocado. Can’t wait to try this!
mmmm this looks so good! It also makes me crave a good creamy avocado dish.
I have never used avocado as a “cream” portion of the dish, what a genius idea. Thank you this looks amazing.
Quick and easy, plus nutritious. It ticks pretty much all the boxes:)
I looove avocado!!!!
Will definitely be trying this out soon!
Oh, I am always looking for more ways to use avocados! I may need to make this for a quick dinner tonight
Delightful and yummy! Wonderful!
I WILL be making this soon! I love Oh She Glows…
I recently saw a similar version of this and thought it looked fantastic. You’ve made me want to try it even more now!
Yum, yum, yum. I knew I should have bought an avocado at the grocery store yesterday… Darn it.
This looks delicious and is the kind of pasta that I love. It would be welcome at my table. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
i had just passed the avocados by in the grocery store- way under ripe… wish I had seen this first… I would have waited for them to get ripe. Looks delicious and will try it some time this week.
You had me at easy, delicious, and pasta. Throw in avocado and I’m done for! I can not wait to try this. ASAP!
What a great idea for a weeknight meal. I am obsessed with avocados, so I will happily try this out. An especially good idea for my son who is allergic to tomatoes….we are forever trying out non-tomato based pasta sauces!
I have never had avocados with pasta before! Is that strange? This looks and sound incredible! Thanks for sharing
This is my ideal pasta, considering I’m an avocado-a-holic. I’ve never thought of using avocado as a sauce for a pasta though. Sounds delectable!
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try!
yum i am SO making this.
oh my, i would totally love this. Must remember to buy more avocados! they really should be a staple
Creamy avocado sauce w/ basil….swoon! This dish might get me to start eating pasta again!
I love avacaos. Esp. guacamole!
I love the idea of avocados with pasta! genious really!
Oh, Maris…I do love your posts, but avocado recipes always break my heart a little. After years of denial, I finally confirmed my avocado allergy (I know, I know…SO TRAGIC, right?!) last year. I can have small portions now and again though (or so says my allergist). Perhaps, since the avocado in this is spread amongst two servings it is worth trying. If not, I can always look at your pretty pictures and sigh deeply.
While I love to bake, I’m not much of an inspiration when it comes to mealtimes. Dining with others helps, but it’s rare that I want to eat something OTHER than pasta for dinner. It is just. So. Delicious.
And presto-yummo, here is a delightful new way to dress up my aforementioned pasta. Thank you!
Maris, So glad to have found you through the LA Times. This dish you’ve presented looks and sounds heavenly! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Congrats on the LA Times feature!! This sounds soooo delicous. Avocados are one of my fave things.
My neighbor has an avocado tree… I’ll have to tip toe on over there! This looks like a heavenly pasta!!
Boy, I’m glad I didn’t miss this post! I adore avocados and usually eat at least one a week! That pasta dish is happening this week!!
oh my, YUM. anything involving avocado and i am SO there
What a great idea! I’m not a huge avocado fan, but I do love how creamy it is. It would be great in pasta!
This sounds like such an easy and delicious recipe! I love avocados!
This pasta is right up my alley! Any way I can find to fit avocado into a main dish I do! This sounds amazing, and I love the addition of the parmesan and basil, lovely flavors
!
I am having some girlfriends over the last week of the month for a little packing party & already know I will be making this recipe. It sounds so good & so easy! That’s my kind of recipe! Esp when I will be days away from moving!
What a fabulous recipe, Maris, as are all of your recipes. I am certainly a fan of this recipe, and of your wonderful blog! Thanks for sharing all of your incredibly delicious treats!
man, oh man. i saw the LA times retweeting this all day and was wondering – now that i see it, i know why!
One word *swoon*…
I am LOVING this idea and will definitely have to try it soon!
I love avocados–what a great idea to use in pasta! I love easy recipes that are delicious as well as healthy!
Oh wow delicious! and what an easy recipe! I love it!
I just saw this on the LA Times food blog. Way to go!
What a great idea. Thanks for sharing Maris, I’ve bookmarked (yet another of your recipes!!!) Have a wonderful week.
It’s so strange that I (as well as others here) didn’t think of this pasta option. Both avocado and pasta are very common items in the kitchen yet we never think of combining together! Thanks for sharing this!
What a lovely recipe! I too love pasta dishes and turn to them often. I’ve never thought of adding avocado but just love the idea! So glad to have found your blog
Come avocado season I really must make this! We both love avocados and hubby loves pasta and I love cheese!
Have a great Tuesday!
I made it yesterday for dinner – was loved by all….fantastic recipe…simple and yummy!
Thanks
Wow, this sounds delicious and easy! I love that you can get a creamy pasta sauce without all the saturated fat/calories of the normal creamy kinds.
Hi, Maris! Love the idea of a creamy avocado sauce pasta sauce – so simple, yet so delicious! It’s a winner – just like you
Check your email for the official notification.
Well, I’m a total avocado freak, so I say YES PLEASE! Simple, delicious…what more could a girl ask for?
I\’m ipmsreesd by your writing. Are you a professional or just very knowledgeable?
I love that you are singing the praises of avocado. Your dish looks fabulous.
Velva
I made it when Ang shared it on the Goog and just know that you really should only make the two servings suggested. I thought I’d be clever and make a whole box of pasta, but OH MY GOD DON’T. You won’t finish it and it won’t reheat well at all because, duh, it’s avocado. As they say, hindsight is 20/20.
Oooh, this is so different! I love avocados and would have never thought to use it as a pasta sauce. I’m looking forward to trying this.
Wow what an interesting idea- I’ll have to try this out!
I’m completely smitten – can’t wait to get my hands on an avocado!
yum id totally make this! i luv avocado anything :O)
Maris! I must have not followed you over to your new blog. I love it!
This recipe sounds so delicious. I can’t wait to try it!
My husband loves avocados! Can’t wait to make this for him!
I’ve got to make this! Looks so good, and I know I would love every bite!
That is indeed a great idea – avocado blended into pasta. Two of my favorite foods!
What a great idea! I love avocado and quick dinners. This couldn’t be easier!
This looks seriously delicious – avocado and pasta…two of my favorite things! Can’t wait to try this!
Gorgeous recipe, I love the creaminess of avocado, this must be so nice!
This looks AMAZING. I’m so looking forward to making that for dinner. I never thought of turning avocados into a pasta sauce.
I’ve made this twice already and is a super hit with the family….thanks for sharing this brilliant recipe..
-Shilpa
Oh…I keep hearing about avocado pasta!! What am I waiting for! Sounds amazing!
I could not stop eating it and now I fear I will never be able to eat again!
I just finished making this and, oh my god, it is so good. Thanks for the recipe!
SUCH a good recipe… I made it for my parents using two different kinds of gluten-free pastas (elbow and ziti) which added a different, fun look and texture. Pair it with a good Pinot Noir and you have the perfect dinner!
This is amazing. Can’t wait to try it, though I will leave out the Parmesan as I am vegan. Thanks much for posting!
Just microwave some gooey, salty shit from Trader Joe’s like everyone else.
I stumbled this page yesterday, and I made it for dinner. It was delicious. The paste came a bit too thick so I had to add a bit of water, any other suggestions besides water? and how many portions does it make? Thanks! : )
I would thin it with a little milk or maybe some more lemon juice. It makes 2 generous servings. Glad you enjoyed!
I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to try this! Must make soon!
How many plates does this yield?
haha never mind… can’t wait to make it!
just made this dish for dinner and it’s a keeper! i served with spaghetti squash for a super healthy meal. the avocado sauce is a taste combination of pesto and guacamole and has enough body to be served as a dip with pita chips too
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