Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta (Printable)

Silky avocado and spinach sauce blended with garlic and lemon, served atop tender spaghetti strands.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Creamy Avocado-Spinach Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
04 - 3.5 oz fresh baby spinach
05 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
06 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves (optional)
10 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 2–4 tbsp reserved pasta cooking water, as needed

→ Garnish

13 - Lemon zest, for sprinkling
14 - Freshly ground black pepper
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Combine avocados, spinach, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, basil (if using), salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
03 - Add 2–4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the sauce and blend again until creamy and pourable.
04 - Return the drained spaghetti to the warm pot. Pour the avocado-spinach sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat. Add more pasta water if needed to achieve a silky texture.
05 - Divide the pasta among plates. Sprinkle with lemon zest, extra Parmesan, and a crack of black pepper.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal freshness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The sauce is so creamy you won't believe there's no cream involved.
  • You can sneak greens into dinner without anyone complaining.
02 -
  • The avocado sauce doesn't reheat well, so only make as much as you'll eat that night.
  • If you skip the pasta water, the sauce won't cling properly and you'll end up with dry noodles.
  • Blend the sauce until it's truly smooth, any chunks will feel strange on the pasta.
03 -
  • Use the ripest avocados you can find, they blend smoother and taste sweeter.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the difference between a sauce that coats and one that slides off.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing and adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper to your liking.

Go Back