Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Print Page)

Tender pasta tossed with luscious avocado-basil sauce for a creamy, nutritious meal ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta of choice
02 - 1 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup milk
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a splash more milk if needed to reach a silky sauce consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the avocado pesto sauce and toss gently to coat. Add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the sauce as needed.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, basil, and black pepper if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in under five minutes and tastes impossibly luxurious without any heavy cream or butter
  • Leftovers actually taste amazing cold, straight from the refrigerator, making it perfect for next-day lunches
02 -
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits, so always have that extra pasta water ready to loosen it back up
  • Avocados oxidize and turn brownish, but the lemon juice and immediate tossing help keep the color bright
03 -
  • If your avocados are not quite ripe enough, the sauce will taste grassy and slightly bitter
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly than cold ones straight from the refrigerator
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