This 20-minute Avocado Pesto Pasta is a flavorful and easy meal that blends extra creamy avocado-basil pesto sauce with cooked pasta. Every bite is herbaceous, cheesy, and bright!

Practically every pesto recipe, whether it’s a classic basil pesto or a variation, like sun-dried tomato pesto, almond pesto, or kale pesto, is irresistibly herbaceous, nutty, and zesty. And this upgraded avocado pesto is no exception!

It’s made with traditional pesto ingredients (fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil) but adds velvety avocado, fresh spinach, and lemon juice to create a thick, creamy, and gorgeous green sauce.

In this easy Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe, the sauce is poured over freshly cooked pasta noodles to create an easy meal that’s on the table in 20 minutes or less. The herbaceous and creamy pesto clings to every noodle, giving you a downright delicious dinner that everyone will love. 

Recipe features

• It’s an all-around healthy pesto recipe! The avocado not only gives it a luxuriously creamy texture, but also a boost of healthy fats and fiber. Meanwhile, the spinach sneaks in high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium. 
• It’s ready in 20 minutes or less. That includes prepping the fresh ingredients, making the pesto from scratch, cooking the pasta, and tossing the pesto and pasta together.
• Avocado pesto sauce isn’t just for pasta! Use it on salad, with grilled meat, and so much more. Head to the Tips and FAQs for even more ways to savor this sauce.

Ingredients

Pasta – I recommend using long-cut pasta, like spaghetti or linguine, or short ridged pasta, like penne, fusilli, farfalle, or orecchiette. Even gnocchi would be delicious here. All of these options will trap and hold the sauce really well! 

Spinach – Adding spinach, arugula, or kale to pesto is a sneaky way to eat more veggies. Alternatively, omit the leafy greens and replace them with extra basil or fresh parsley. 

Fresh basil – Fresh basil leaves are a must when you want your pesto to have the most authentic flavor. Remember: the fresher the basil, the better the pesto.

Pine nuts – A traditional, albeit expensive, ingredient in pesto sauce. For a more affordable option, use raw, unsalted almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans. Or omit the nuts for a nut free pesto.

Avocado – A perfectly ripened avocado transforms basic basil pesto into a rich and creamy pasta sauce.

Lemon juice – The acidity from lemon juice balances the flavors in the sauce and prevents the avocado from browning too quickly. This way, the pesto stays fresh and vibrant for longer.

Olive oil – Good-quality extra virgin olive oil emulsifies the sauce and gives it a more rich and cohesive flavor and consistency.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Save ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Step 2: Make the pesto. Meanwhile, pulse the spinach, basil, pine nuts, avocado, garlic cloves, lemon juice, parmesan, salt, and red pepper flakes together in a food processor. Then, with the motor still running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the pesto comes together.

Step 3: Coat the pasta in pesto. Return the cooked pasta to the now empty pot. Pour the pesto overtop, along with some of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat.

Step 4: Plate and serve. Serve the pesto pasta in bowls and garnish with parmesan and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Don’t forget to save some pasta water! It’s the secret to ensuring that the sauce coats every inch of pasta. Keep your measuring cup beside the boiling pot of water so you don’t forget to save some.
• To make this recipe vegan or dairy free, omit the parmesan cheese or replace it with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan-style cheese. 
• The avocado pesto is great for more than just pasta! Spread it on avocado grilled cheese, use it as a salad dressing or dip fresh veggies into the batch. You can also use it on kale pesto pizza, brush it on grilled chicken thighs and other proteins, toss it with baked paleo meatballs, or drizzle it over roasted red potatoes.

Why add avocado to pesto sauce?

Adding avocado to pesto enhances the overall taste and texture. It creates a rich, creamy sauce with a subtle, yet satisfying buttery flavor. Plus, it adds healthy fats and fiber!

Can you taste avocado in pesto?

The avocado enhances the creaminess of the pesto and adds subtle earthy and sweet flavors, but isn’t overpowering.

What goes well with avocado pesto pasta?

Toss a few add-ins to make the creamy pesto pasta more substantial. Roasted cherry tomatoes, broccoli, artichoke hearts, asparagus, or zucchini would all be delicious! Or serve the pasta topped with steak, chicken, or shrimp. 

Serve the meal with vegan garlic bread and an arugula salad on the side and dig in!

Storing

Refrigerator: I highly recommend using the full batch of avocado pesto once it’s ready because the avocado oxidizes and browns very quickly. To prolong its shelf life, store any extra pesto in a sealed container in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top. The oil should prevent it from browning for about 2 or 3 days.

To store the leftover pesto pasta, keep it in a sealed container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on top of the pasta. Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.

Reheating: Reheat the pasta in the microwave or a skillet with a splash of water, vegetable broth, or olive oil until warmed through. Pesto pasta is also good straight from the fridge!

More ways to use avocado pesto

• Pesto Chicken Salad
• Pesto Zucchini Noodles 
• Pesto Smashed Potatoes

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!