This Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe is quick and easy to throw together and packed with so much flavor! The avocado makes the pesto sauce super creamy and the cherry tomatoes add to the summer vibe. Enjoy this delicious plant based pasta recipe for lunch, dinner or a side dish.
Avocados and pesto sauce are both so great on their own, it’s no surprise that they taste amazing when combined together! This Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe is easy to throw together and packed with so much delicious and fresh flavor. Enjoy for lunch, dinner or bring as a side salad to all your summer get togethers.
Why You’ll Love this Avocado Pesto Pasta!
- Dairy free – The avocado adds so much creaminess to the pesto sauce that you won’t even miss the parmesan cheese! If you still want a “cheesier” flavor, you can add in a tablespoon or so of nutritional yeast. Or, if not making vegan, feel free to throw in some parm.
- Easy to make – The avocado pesto sauce can be made while the pasta is cooking on the stove. You add all the ingredients to a food processor and it does all the work for you!
- Fresh flavors – This avocado pesto recipe has so much flavor. It’s packed with fresh basil, avocado, lemon juice and garlic. This pasta is anything but boring!
Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe Ingredients
- Pasta – You can use your favorite pasta for this recipe, gluten free or regular. I like to use a smaller, bite sized pasta, but spaghetti noodles would work great too.
- Avocado – You want to make sure you use a ripe avocado for this recipe, that will ensure a creamy sauce. The sauce will still probably be usable if your avoado isn’t quite as ripe, but it will most likely be less smooth and flavorful.
- Basil – I used one and a half cups packed fresh basil leaves. If you can’t find basil, or don’t like it, you could use any other fresh herb you like (parsley, mint, cilantro).
- Cashews – Pine nuts are traditional in a pesto recipe, but they’re not really my favorite, so I usually use cashews or walnuts instead. You can use any kind of nut or seed you like though, it’s best if they are raw.
- Garlic – I love lots of fresh garlic in this pesto sauce, but you can use whatever amount you prefer.
- Lemon Juice – The lemon juice adds a nice acidity that helps cut the richness of the avocado. Lime juice can also be used.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil adds to the creaminess in the avocado pesto. If there is another oil, other than olive oil, that you prefer, you can use that instead.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes go so well with basil and avocado and add a nice pop of sweetness and color. Feel free to add other veggies in if you like.
- Optional Ingredients – I didn’t put it into the actual recipe, but I love making this pesto pasta and serving with some lightly dressed spring mix greens, baby arugula or spinach.
How To Make Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in your dry pasta, along with a pinch of salt, and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta well and then let cool for about 10-15 minutes. I don’t love the taste of warm avocado, so I prefer to let the pasta cool a bit longer than usual before adding it in.
- Make the avocado pesto while the pasta is cooking. To a food processor, add the avocado, basil, garlic, cashews, lemon juice, salt and oil. Turn the food processor on and blend until a creamy sauce has formed, about 45 seconds – 1 minute. Give the sauce a taste and adjust flavors as needed.
- Once pasta has cooled a bit, add the avocado pesto in and stir until completely combined. Mix in the cherry tomatoes and salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- This recipe is completely vegan.
- Make this recipe nut free by either leaving the cashews out and adding in extra avocado, or replace the cashews with your favorite seed (if seeds can be eaten).
- Make this recipe gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta.
- How much avocado pesto does the recipe make? It makes a little more than one cup, give or take.
- Should this pasta be served warm or chilled? I don’t love the taste of warm avocado so I like to allow the pasta to cool for a few minutes before adding the sauce in. It can be enjoyed chilled as well though.
- How long will pasta leftovers stay good for? Avocado does brown quickly, so it may not last quite as long as other pasta salad recipes, but the lemon juice should keep it fairly fresh for a few days.
- Can the leftover pasta be re-heated? You can re-heat pasta in microwave or on the stovetop if you like. You may get a cooked avocado taste, but it might not be too strong.
- Can other herbs be added to the pesto sauce? Of course! You are more than welcome to add parsley, cilantro or any other herb you prefer.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes?
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Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe is quick and easy to throw together and packed with so much flavor! The avocado makes the pesto sauce super creamy and the cherry tomatoes add to the summer vibe. Enjoy this delicious plant based pasta recipe for lunch, dinner or a side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb pasta, your favorite kind
- 1 extra large avocado or two medium sized avocados
- 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2–3 large cloves garlic, or more if you like
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 extra large lemon
- 1/4 cup unsalted, raw cashews, you can also use walnuts, pine nuts or another nut/seed of choice
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in your dry pasta, along with a pinch of salt, and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta well and then let cool for about 10-15 minutes. I don’t love the taste of warm avocado, so I prefer to let the pasta cool a bit longer than usual before adding it in.
- Make the avocado pesto while the pasta is cooking. To a food processor, add the avocado, basil, garlic, cashews, lemon juice, salt and oil. Turn the food processor on and blend until a creamy sauce has formed, about 45 seconds – 1 minute. Give the sauce a taste and adjust flavors as needed.
- Once pasta has cooled a bit, add the avocado pesto in and stir until completely combined. Mix in the cherry tomatoes and salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
If you want to add extra greens, I like to add in a few handfuls of baby greens that have been lightly tossed with dressing, similarly to this dinner salad.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This sounds delicious but I think the pasta measurement is wrong? (16 lb pasta?)
hahaha, definitely didn’t mean 16 pounds of pasta, thank you for noticing that!!