The ultimate creamy, dreamy pasta dish. This Avocado Pesto Pasta is so flavorful and will be on the table in 30 minutes. With roasted asparagus, plus some sneaky spinach, this pasta is loaded with green goodness.
Pasta is always a great option for a quick meal. With the variety of pastas available now, from gluten free to chickpea or lentil pasta, there’s an option for almost everyone. Some of these varieties have higher protein content than traditional pasta. So, it makes for an even more satisfying meal (no offense regular pasta, I love you too!).
This Avocado Pesto Pasta is a celebration of green goodness. The sauce is a tangy, creamy blend of avocados, spinach, basil and lemon juice. Roasted asparagus, along with fresh basil leaves, add more elements of nourishing green to this dish.
What’s great about this Avocado Pesto Pasta
- The dish is ready in around 30 minutes.
- There’s lots of nourishing vegetables and herbs in here.
- It’s pasta….and it’s creamy.
- The sauce is no-cook, so it saves watching another pot on the stove. Check out my Roasted Red Pepper Pasta for another no-cook sauce option.
- You can adjust the flavors to your liking, such as adding more or less lemon juice, and more or less basil.
How this dish comes together
- Boil and cook the pasta.
- Roast the asparagus.
- Blend up the sauce.
- Combine and serve.
The steps for this Avocado Pesto Pasta are simple, and can be done simultaneously. While the water is waiting to boil, prep your asparagus and get it into the oven. Thekitchn.com has a good short piece on how to trim your asparagus here.
At some point during this time, the water will boil. Add some salt to the water along with the pasta, and cook until just al dente.
While the asparagus is cooking, blend the sauce in the food processor.
After 15 minutes in the oven, the asparagus will be done.
In a large mixing bowl, place the drained pasta, asparagus, and sauce. Mix gently and well. Serve and top with fresh basil.
Other delicious pasta recipes
Pasta with Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce
Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Kale
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Spiced Chickpeas
helpful items for this dish
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These are awesome baking sheets, that I’ve used so many times. They were affordable and great quality – such a win!
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver
Corelle Winter Frost White 20-Ounce Bowl Set (6-Piece)
I’ve mentioned these pasta bowls before, which are light and durable in our experience. Plus, they’re useful for more than pasta since they’re a great size.
OXO 1134700 Good Grips 5-Quart Stainless-Steel Colander, Silver
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. pasta
- 1 medium bunch asparagus
- oil for roasting
- salt and pepper for roasting
- 2 avocados
- Juice of 1.5 to 2 lemons to taste
- 3 tbsp packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- fresh basil leaves for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, in salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Remove tough bottom ends from asparagus by breaking them off gently.
- Cut remaining stalks into thirds or quarters (preference)
- Place asparagus pieces onto baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, gently toss, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast 12 to 14 minutes until fork tender, then remove promptly from oven.
- Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients into a food processor. Blend, scraping down sides, until smooth. Add 2 tsp olive oil or water if desired, to thin.
- Transfer pasta, asparagus, and sauce to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix to incorporate. Serve and top with fresh basil.