A Healthy Twist
Here’s a way to enjoy your pasta with the most creamy, flavor-filled sauce and (almost) zero guilt. This Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce is going to be a new favorite. No cream, no butter and I promise, you won’t miss it. It’s loaded with all good stuff including a little spinach. You won’t taste the avocado or the spinach, it’s more like a decadent Alfredo sauce. You’re going to go bananas for this dish!
Oh, and did I mention it’s done in about the time it takes to cook the pasta? Well, there’s that too. Just load the ingredients into a food processor or blender, cook the pasta, toss with the sauce and you’re done.
I’ve said it before, but I do live in the official Avocado Capital of the World. It’s literally raining avocados right now. They are rolling in the streets. But, don’t get any ideas….They take avocado theft seriously around here.
Super Food
I know avocados can be pricey. Believe me, they are not cheap to grow either. In Southern California the water prices are so high that many California avocado growers are quitting. We are among that group. We’ve taken out most of our trees because what once was enough income to pay for itself and a bit of profit just became too expensive to continue.
We still keep a number of very healthy trees, so what do we do? We use them in everything. My favorite trick is to substitute any type of fat in a recipe, especially baked goods for avocado. Coming up soon, my recipe for Salted Avocado Fudge.
Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Set a large pot of water to boil and add a few teaspoons of salt to the water. Once it’s boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking, into the bowl of your food processor add 1 large pitted avocado, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, with 3 cloves of peeled garlic. I like a lot of garlic, if you prefer less, just use 1 or maybe 2 cloves. Next, add 1 cup of fresh spinach and 1/2 cup of fresh basil, and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Process until the sauce is smooth, add pasta water as needed slowly to the consistency of a creamy sauce, about 1/4 to 3/4 cup of water, more if necessary. Taste the sauce and adjust with salt if necessary.
Put the cook pasta into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce, mix to combine.
Note: For a vegan option, just omit the Parmesan cheese from the sauce.
Top with the rest of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh torn basil and a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Crispy “Garlic Bread” Topping!
Optional – for a little crunch, try toasting 1 cup of breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoons olive oil and 1 clove of very finely minced garlic. Just heat the oil over medium high heat, then add the garlic and the breadcrumbs. Cook until golden brown.
Remove from the pan, then serve right over the pasta.
Enjoy!
Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
- 3 large cloves of garlic (use less if you prefer less garlic flavor)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 cup fresh spinach, washed, large stems removed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, washed, large stems removed, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Optional - toasted "garlic bread" topping
- 1 cup fresh or canned breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegan option - Omit the Parmesan cheese from the sauce
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water to boil and add a few teaspoons of salt to the water. (Don't over salt the water, because you will be using some of the water to loosen the sauce and it could become overly salty)
- Once it's boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, into the bowl of your food processor add 1 large pitted avocado, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, with 3 cloves of peeled garlic, 1 cup of fresh spinach and 1/2 cup of fresh basil and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Process until the sauce is smooth.
- Add pasta water as needed slowly to the consistency of a creamy sauce, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water, more if necessary.
- Taste the sauce and adjust with seasoning if needed.
- Put the cook pasta into a large serving bowl and top with the sauce, mix to combine.
For the toasted "Garlic Bread" Topping
- Into a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
- Add 1 clove very finely minced garlic and 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
- Cook until golden brown and well toasted, stirring often.
To Serve
- Top with the rest of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh torn basil and a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Top with the toasted "Garlic Bread" Crumbs
- Enjoy!
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
