This creamy avocado pasta gets its velvety sauce from ripe avocados blended with lemon, garlic and baby spinach, with no heavy cream. It comes together in about 25 minutes, and the sauce is a bright green that clings to whole-wheat spaghetti.
Recipe at a glance
- Serves: 4
- Time: about 25 minutes
- Diet: vegan and dairy-free as written. Choose a gluten-free pasta if you need one.
- Best pasta: whole-wheat spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine
Why this sauce works
Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which gives the sauce a creamy body, along with potassium and vitamin E. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated plant fats is linked to better cardiovascular health. Its Nutrition Source guide to fats explains the evidence. Lemon juice brightens the flavour and slows browning, and a little starchy pasta water turns the blend into a smooth, glossy sauce.
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 350 g whole-wheat spaghetti or linguine
- About 30 to 40 g salt for the cooking water
For the sauce
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of half a lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 40 g baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 60 to 100 ml reserved pasta cooking water
To finish
- 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin or sunflower seeds, toasted
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Extra lemon zest
Method
- Cook the pasta. Boil it in well-salted water, stirring in the first two minutes, until al dente, roughly 1 to 2 minutes short of the packet time. Before draining, scoop out about 200 ml of the cooking water. Drain, and do not rinse, since the surface starch helps the sauce cling.
- Blend the sauce. Scoop the avocado into a blender or food processor with the lemon juice and zest, garlic, spinach, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Raw garlic gives a sharp kick that balances the richness.
- Loosen it. Add 60 ml of the warm pasta water and blend again until glossy. If it is still thick, add another tablespoon or two until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Toss. Put the hot, drained pasta in a large bowl, pour the sauce over it, and toss with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes until every strand is coated. Do not return it to the hot pot, since direct heat can dull the flavour and colour.
- Finish. Fold in half the tomatoes and the basil, taste and adjust the seasoning, and divide among four warm bowls. Top with the remaining tomatoes, the seeds, extra zest and chilli flakes if you like. Serve straight away.
The method follows the same finishing idea as in our mantecatura guide, and the basics of timing and salt are covered in pasta cooking and pasta water.
Keep the sauce raw. Heating avocado can turn it bitter and dull the green colour, so toss it with warm, drained pasta instead of cooking it in a pan.
Approximate nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Approximate amount |
| Calories | About 540 kcal |
| Protein | About 15 g |
| Carbohydrate | About 68 g |
| Fat | About 24 g |
| Fibre | About 13 g |
| Sodium | About 520 mg |
These are estimates and will vary with the brand of pasta and the size of the avocados.
Variations
- Add protein: sliced grilled chicken or garlic shrimp, or for a plant-based option, roasted chickpeas or white beans such as cannellini.
- Add vegetables: roasted zucchini, blanched asparagus, green peas or steamed broccoli, folded in at the end so they stay crisp-tender.
- Mediterranean twist: olives, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled feta (or a vegan feta). See our Mediterranean vegetable pasta for more ideas.
Storage
This pasta is best eaten fresh, because avocado browns when exposed to air. You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day, with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. If you want to prepare ahead, blend the sauce up to 12 hours in advance, cover it tightly, chill it, and toss it with freshly cooked pasta just before serving.
Common questions
How do I stop the sauce turning brown?
The acid in lemon juice slows oxidation. For the best colour, make the sauce just before serving.
Which pasta shapes suit it?
Long strands such as spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine hold the thick emulsion well. Ridged shapes such as penne or fusilli catch extra sauce.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes. Swap in a gluten-free pasta made from brown rice, lentils or chickpeas. Cook it al dente and keep some starchy water for the sauce. See our chickpea pasta guide.
Can I reheat it?
It is best fresh. If you must, warm it gently over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave with a splash of water or lemon juice.
What can I use instead of spinach?
Arugula adds a peppery note, kale a more robust flavour, and extra basil gives a fresher, herbal sauce.
Is it suitable for meal prep?
Not for several days, because avocado oxidises. Prepare the sauce ahead as described in the storage notes above.
More recipes
For a creamy dish with a different approach, try our one-pan creamy mushroom pasta or roasted vegetable whole-wheat pasta. For the best shape and sauce combinations, see our pasta pairing guide.
Syed Yasar Arafat is the founder of PastaLoverz.com and a food research enthusiast with a focused interest in pasta varieties, traditional Italian cuisine, and balanced eating. Through PastaLoverz.com, he publishes well-researched articles that explain pasta types, cooking methods, and nutritional considerations in clear, practical terms to help readers make informed food choices.