Description
This creamy avocado pasta recipe features a luscious, velvety sauce made from ripe avocados, cream cheese, and fresh herbs blended to perfection. Tossed with cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, and peppery baby arugula, it creates a healthy, flavorful meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for a quick, nutritious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Avocado Sauce
- 2 ripe avocados
- ½ cup (8 g) cilantro
- ¼ cup (50 g) hemp seeds
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup (114 g) cream cheese
- 1 serrano chili, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup (118 ml) milk of choice (or reserved pasta water to thin sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Main Ingredients
- 16 ounce (454 g) package pasta of your choice
- ½ pint (237 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups (40 g) baby arugula or greens of your choice
- Hemp seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining, then set the pasta aside.
- Blend the Sauce: In a blender, combine the avocados, cilantro, hemp seeds, garlic, lemon juice, cream cheese, serrano chili, black pepper, salt, milk (or reserved pasta water), and olive oil. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Mix Pasta and Sauce: Return the cooked pasta to the pot or place in a large bowl. Pour the creamy avocado sauce over the pasta and toss well to ensure all noodles are evenly coated. Use reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, glossy sauce consistency.
- Add Vegetables: Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and baby arugula (or other greens). Toss until they are evenly distributed and slightly wilted by the warmth of the pasta.
- Finish and Serve: Transfer the pasta to serving bowls or plates. Top with extra hemp seeds, a pinch of black pepper, and an additional drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce for a smoother texture.
- Substitute cream cheese with vegan cream cheese to make the recipe vegan-friendly.
- The serrano chili can be adjusted or omitted to control the spiciness level.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Serve immediately for best flavor and texture as the avocado sauce may brown upon standing.
- Adding lemon juice not only enhances flavor but also helps prevent avocado from browning.
