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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Pasta

    Creamy Avocado Pasta

    Published: Feb 26, 2015 · Modified: May 24, 2021 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 59 Comments

    1458 shares
    • 599
    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Vegan
    Creamy avocado pasta in a bowl with a text title overlay.

    Creamy pasta is total comfort food and this Creamy Avocado Pasta recipe is ready in under 15 minutes. A creamy pasta doesn't have to be unhealthy, and we have made a super creamy sauce by blending up some avocado and adding lemon and basil for extra flavour.

    Two bowls of pasta in an avocado sauce.

    This is kind of like a guacamole pasta, but not. It's got the blended avocado vibes going on, but then with plenty of garlic (seriously, the more the better), some lemon juice and basil. Mix it all up and you have yourself a delicious and light pasta sauce that will cling to any pasta shape you have hanging about your cupboard.

    Avocados never get wasted in our house, so when we have one that is getting past its best and we need dinner in a flash, this gets made.

    For some more exciting ways to use avocados, try our Smashed Avocado on Toast or our delicious Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Check out 30 Ways To Eat Avocados.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step
    • Why should you try it?
    • Avocado pasta sauce
    • What pasta to use
    • What vegetables can you add?
    • What protein can you add?
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More avocado recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Ingredients needed

    • Pasta - any pasta will work, but we used riccioli pasta as the sauce clings really well to it. Fusilli or penne are easier to find, and will work just as well.
    • Avocado - make sure they are nice and ripe.
    • Lemon - to add some sharpness to the sauce
    • Garlic and basil - to flavour the sauce. Adjust to your own preference. You can use coriander (cilantro) instead of basil if you prefer.
    • Water - or more if you prefer a thinner sauce.
    • Spring onions (scallions) - to serve (optional).
    • Red chilli flakes - to serve (optional).

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

    Step by step

    One: Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (about 10-12 minutes)

    Pasta spirals cooking in a saucepan.

    Two: Put the avocado, water, lemon, garlic, basil and salt and pepper in to a blender and blend until smooth.

    A food processor containing avocado, basil leaves, garlic cloves, lemon zest and seasoning.

    Three: Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add the avocado mix.

    A saucepan of cooked pasta spirals with a large dollop of green sauce.

    Four: Mix well.

    A saucepan of cooked pasta in an avocado sauce.

    Five: Transfer to bowls and sprinkle over spring onions (scallions) and chilli flakes.

    A bowl of Creamy Avocado Pasta with chilli flakes sprinkled on top.

    Why should you try it?

    •  A delicious way to use avocados
    • Ready in under 15 minutes
    • Vegan
    • Easy to adapt

    Avocado pasta sauce

    If you struggle to get healthy fats in to your kids diet, then avocado is a great way to increase it, as it doesn't have a very strong flavour, more of a texture, and it can be hidden in to meals and blended in to a sauce.

    If your kids are anything like mine, then they will love pasta, so make the most of that by making an avocado pasta sauce with avocado to increase their intake of this green gold. The most appealing part of it to kids, is the bright green colour. Which is why this pasta has been referred to as "Monster Pasta" before. Whatever gets them eating it, right?!

    Pasta spirals in a green sauce with sliced onion and chilli flakes.

    What pasta to use

    This pasta sauce is really think (unless you make it thinner with more water), so it clings to pretty much any pasta really well. We used riccioli, which can be quite difficult to find in shops, but anything like penne, fusilli or even spaghetti will work. That's the great thing about this sauce - it goes with any pasta.

    What vegetables can you add?

    You can give it even more of a nutrient boost, and some extra colour by blending some spinach and/or cooked peas in to it. Whatever you think your kids will enjoy.

    We like to keep it simple and don't usually add anything else in to it, but you could add some quick cooking chunky veg like mushrooms, courgette or aubergine that have been sautéed. A little bit of sweetcorn is nice in this too.

    I like to add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes on top just before serving, as I think it really brings out the lemon in the dish.

    What protein can you add?

    You could use this pasta sauce as a base to make kind of an avocado carbonara. Add some grated Parmesan to it and then some cooked chopped bacon. Bacon and avocado go so well together.

    Other ways we have varied this dish in the past include topping with grilled chicken, salmon or prawns. You could add some cooked tofu, tuna or beans, or just keep it how it is.

    Avocado pasta in two bowls next to a side salad.

    FAQs

    Is avocado pasta healthy?

    This is an very healthy meal. Avocados can be quite high in fat, but they are the healthy monosaturated fats, which are good for the heart. Avocados are also abundant in vitamins K, C, B5, B6, E, folate and potassium. They are full of fibre and can also help to reduce cholesterol and help with eye health. Pretty much the ideal superfood!

    How to pick the perfect avocado

    The key is to pick a ripe but not over-ripe avocados. We like Hass avocados. Try to look for avocados that give a bit to a gentle squeeze. But you don't want one that it too soft, as it will be over ripe.
    Don't worry if when you cut in to it there are some bruised or brown bits, as you can scoop those out and discard.

    Avocado pasta for babies

    This is a great meal to help with baby led weaning. Make sure your baby is confident at eating solids (at least 8 months old) and use a pasta that he/she can easily grip, like the shapes we suggest above. We would suggest leaving out (or at least reducing) the garlic and also omitting the chilli flakes. Give your little one a bowl of this avocado pasta and let them dig in! It will be messy - but they will love it!

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Use any pasta you have in the cupboard that needs using, this sauce works with everything.
    • Feel free to add more garlic, as you can never have too much.
    • Add some protein to this dish by topping with some grilled chicken, salmon or prawns.
    • Make an avocado carbonara by stirring some Parmesan and cooked chopped bacon in to the sauce. 
    • A little bit of feta crumbled on top is delicious.

    More avocado recipes

    • Leftover Chicken Pasta
    • Creamy Lemon Pasta
    • Greek Spaghetti with Tomato and Feta
    • Spring Pasta

    If you’ve tried this avocado pasta recipe, or any other recipe on the blog, then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    A bowl of Creamy Avocado Pasta with chilli flakes sprinkled on top

    Creamy Avocado Pasta

    Creamy pasta sauce doesn't have to be unhealthy, and we have made a super creamy sauce by blending up some avocado and adding lemon and basil for extra flavour.
    An illustration of a v-shaped plant in a pot.
    Vegan
    4.94 from 33 votes
    Author: Dannii
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Lunch
    Cuisine: British, Italian
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 12 minutes
    Allergens:
    An illustration of two ears of wheat.
    Gluten
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 389kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    UK Metric Measures - US Customary Measures
    • 120 g Dried pasta
    • 1 Lemon - (juice and zest)
    • 4 Garlic clove
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
    • 1 Avocado
    • 60 ml Water
    • 10 g Fresh basil - chopped
    • 4 Spring onion (Scallion)
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes - optional

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (about 10-12 minutes)
    • Put the avocado, water, lemon, garlic, basil and salt and pepper in to a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Once the pasta is cooked, drain and stir in the avocado mix.
    • Transfer to bowls and sprinkle over spring onions and chilli flakes.

    Notes

    • Use any pasta you have in the cupboard that needs using, this sauce works with everything.
    • Feel free to add more garlic, as you can never have too much.
    • Add some protein to this dish by topping with some grilled chicken, salmon or prawns.
    • Make an avocado carbonara by stirring some parmesan and cooked chopped bacon in to the sauce.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2.4mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dave

      February 26, 2015 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      this is one of my favourite quick meals and one of my favourite ways to use avocado

      Reply
    2. Gingi

      February 26, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      MAN, this looks creamy and rich and delicious! I must try!!! Wish I could reach through the screen for a taste!

      Reply
    3. Lori @ TheHealthMinded.com

      February 26, 2015 at 3:34 pm

      Great Idea, Dannii. I always feel terrible after having a heavy cream sauce on anything! I will give this a try.

      Reply
    4. Emily

      February 26, 2015 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars
      Ooh, this looks yummy. We have a lot of avocados, so maybe I'll give it a try!

      Reply
    5. [email protected]

      February 26, 2015 at 1:52 pm

      I never thought of having an avocado base for a sauce...yum! I used to have a Brita filter but I never changed the filter as much as I should.

      Reply
    6. Anna @AnnaTheApple

      February 26, 2015 at 1:45 pm

      Mmmm love avocado! Sounds great.

      Reply
    7. David @ Spiced

      February 26, 2015 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      You're killing me with these awesome avocado posts lately, Dannii! This pasta looks insanely delicious...I totally need to try this soon!

      Reply
    8. Taca @ A Side Of Dessert

      February 26, 2015 at 1:20 pm

      5 stars
      I looooove creamy pasta and actually had a bowl of it yesterday! Love the addition of avocado too!

      Reply
    9. Stacie @ SimplySouthernStacie

      February 26, 2015 at 12:23 pm

      Definitely going to be trying this soon! I love avocado anything!

      Reply
    10. Susie @ SuzLyfe

      February 26, 2015 at 12:14 pm

      So kind of like an avocado pesto? Love it!

      Reply
    11. Marie

      February 26, 2015 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      I love that you have called it monster spaghetti - I actually think I could get my kids to eat that. I like that it is adaptable, like you said. My kids are not super fussy, but I sometimes find myself naking different dishes for everyone just to keep them quiet.

      Reply
    12. Kayleigh

      February 26, 2015 at 9:27 am

      What a great idea. Avocado has so many uses, doesn't it.

      Reply
    13. Alison

      February 26, 2015 at 9:20 am

      I love the look of this. I like creamy pasta but would never have thought of using avocado as the base. Must give it a try

      Reply
    14. Kezia @ Super Naturally Healthy

      February 26, 2015 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      Yum i do this with spiralised courgette 'pasta' as pasta and I don't get on well:) but avocado makes such a good sauce and pesto base - YUM:)

      Reply
    15. Arman @ thebigmansworld

      February 26, 2015 at 8:14 am

      That looks delicious- I'm loving all you avocadoness lately!

      Reply
    16. Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes

      February 26, 2015 at 6:46 am

      It's amazing how many different ways that you can use an avocado in cooking. The pasta sauce looks so creamy.

      Reply
    17. Fiver Feeds

      October 22, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      Recently I started eating avocado but so far I haven't tried mixing it with pasta. I'll definitely have to try this recipe!

      Reply
    18. Ali @ Inspiralized

      August 19, 2013 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      I love this avocado creamy dressing! Have you ever tried using zucchini pasta? Your blog is so inspirational.

      Reply
    19. Ann

      January 09, 2013 at 7:16 pm

      I'm making this tonight. Have a Spaghetti Squash and an Avocado I need to use! Thank you for sharing

      Reply
    20. Conor

      September 28, 2012 at 4:01 am

      5 stars
      I made a variation of this last night for dinner as had a very ripe avocado with no use sitting in the fruit bowl and no plan for meal that night! I blended the avocado mix with a bit of low fat fetta I had left over in the fridge and stirred it through the pasta (shells). I also fried up a heap of mushrooms to 'beef' it up - loved using avocado as the sauce, what a great idea. Keep up the amazing work and inspiration!

      Reply
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