Creamy Avocado Lime Pasta (Printable View)

Silky avocado lime sauce blends with pasta and cherry tomatoes for a light, satisfying dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

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

→ Avocado Lime Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
04 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, 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. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
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 black pepper to taste.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the drained pasta with the avocado lime sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water. Adjust creaminess with additional pasta water as needed.
04 - Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes to the pasta mixture.
05 - Divide among serving plates. Top with grated Parmesan if desired and sprinkle with extra herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like something from a restaurant with white tablecloths.
  • The avocado sauce is so creamy people always ask if theres heavy cream in it, and I love watching their faces when I tell them its just avocados and lime.
  • You can make it completely from pantry staples and whatever vegetables you have lying around.
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional, its the secret that turns the sauce from thick and gloopy into silky and clingy.
  • This dish does not keep well because avocado oxidizes, so only make as much as you will eat in one sitting.
  • If your avocados are not ripe enough, the sauce will taste flat and look dull, wait an extra day if you have to.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to, a truly smooth sauce makes all the difference in how it clings to the pasta.
  • Use the ripest avocados you can find, their buttery richness is what makes this sauce taste indulgent without any cream.
  • Toss the pasta while its still steaming hot so the avocado sauce warms and loosens just enough to coat every strand.

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