Creamy Avocado Lime Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant pasta tossed with creamy avocado lime sauce and fresh cherry tomatoes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tbsp kosher salt (for boiling water)

→ Avocado Lime Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - Zest and juice of 2 limes
07 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables & Garnish

11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional, omit for vegan)
13 - Extra cilantro or parsley for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocados, olive oil, garlic, lime zest and juice, cilantro or parsley, red pepper flakes if using, and water. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Transfer drained pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add avocado lime sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss to coat evenly, adding more pasta water to reach desired creaminess.
04 - Gently fold halved cherry tomatoes into the pasta mixture.
05 - Divide pasta among plates. Top with grated Parmesan if using, and garnish with additional herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer in a bowl, bright and creamy without any heavy cream.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under half an hour, even on your busiest nights.
  • The avocado sauce clings to every strand of pasta like it was meant to be there.
  • It works just as well for a quiet weeknight as it does for impressing guests who drop by unannounced.
02 -
  • The avocado sauce will start to brown if it sits too long, so make it right before you toss it with the pasta.
  • If your sauce feels too thick, pasta water is your best friend, it loosens everything without watering down the flavor.
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, I forgot once and had to add plain water, and the sauce just slid off the noodles.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce until it's completely smooth, no chunks, because that's what makes it feel luxurious.
  • Taste the sauce before you toss it with the pasta and adjust the lime or salt, it should be bold enough to flavor all those noodles.
  • Use the hottest pasta you can, it helps the sauce coat evenly and keeps everything creamy instead of clumpy.

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