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
