Avocado Spinach Basil Spaghetti (Printable)
Creamy avocado pesto coats al dente spaghetti with fresh spinach, basil, and Parmesan for a vibrant, nutritious meal ready in 25 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz spaghetti
02 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Pesto
03 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
04 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
06 - 2 cloves garlic
07 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
10 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine avocados, spinach, basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
04 - Toss the drained spaghetti with the pesto, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to coat the noodles evenly.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil leaves, and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The creamiest sauce without a drop of heavy cream
- Ready in under 30 minutes with ingredients you can actually pronounce
- Turns a box of spaghetti into something that feels like a treat from an Italian kitchen
02 -
- The sauce darkens quickly once it hits the air so make it right before serving
- Pasta water is your secret weapon for transforming a thick sauce into something glossy and coat worthy
- Room temperature avocados blend much more smoothly than cold ones from the fridge
03 -
- Double the pesto portion and freeze half in ice cube trays before adding the cheese for future quick meals
- Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes beforehand to deepen their nutty flavor