Avocado Pesto Pasta
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!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 cups fresh basil stems removed
- 6 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 large avocado
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 5-6 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions; reserve ½ cup of the salted pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto: add spinach, basil, pine nuts, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan, salt, and red pepper flakes to your food processor and pulse.
- With the motor running, add the olive oil in through the top 1 tablespoon at a time until the pesto comes together (you may need to scrape down the sides).
- Once the pasta is cooked and drained, place it back into the pot. Add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved water and use kitchen tongs to toss to combine. Add more of the pasta water as needed.
- To serve: place the pasta in a bowl, then garnish with additional parmesan and/or red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Notes
*Calories are per serving and are an estimation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 565kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1471IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
