Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta (Printable)

A vibrant creamy avocado and spinach pasta with lemon and garlic, ideal for a quick, nourishing dish.

# 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

→ 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 spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Combine avocados, baby spinach, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, basil if using, sea salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
03 - Add 2–4 tablespoons of 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 and toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Add additional pasta water if required to achieve a silky texture.
05 - Distribute the pasta among serving plates. Sprinkle with lemon zest, extra Parmesan cheese, and a crack of freshly ground black pepper.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal freshness and flavor.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready faster than you can boil the water, yet tastes like you fussed over it for a dinner party.
  • No cream needed, which means your body actually feels light afterward instead of weighed down.
  • The sauce coats every strand like it was meant to be there, creamy without any of the heaviness.
02 -
  • Don't let the avocado sit too long after blending; it starts to oxidize and lose its bright, fresh flavor, so make the sauce right before you need it.
  • The pasta water is everything; it's the difference between a sauce that clings and one that just sits on top looking lonely.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, add a tiny splash more pasta water and blend gently; the starch will bring it back together like magic.
03 -
  • Keep your blender running for just one full minute after everything is combined; overblending turns the sauce bitter and breaks the emulsion, so less is genuinely more here.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the sauce and pasta separate and combine them only when you're ready to serve; they'll stay fresher that way.

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