Avocado pasta is one of those meals that feels indulgent but is secretly healthy. It’s creamy without using any cream, flavorful without needing a dozen ingredients, and quick enough to throw together on a busy weeknight. If you love avocados and pasta, this dish is a perfect match.
The beauty of avocado pasta lies in its simplicity. Ripe avocados blend into a smooth, silky sauce that coats the pasta like a dream. With just a few additions – garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and maybe a handful of basil or parsley – you get a fresh, vibrant sauce in minutes. No stove, no simmering, just a blender or food processor and you’re halfway to dinner.
This recipe has a naturally rich texture, thanks to the healthy fats in the avocado. It clings to spaghetti, linguine, or even penne without feeling heavy. The lemon juice not only adds brightness but also keeps the avocado from turning brown too quickly. If you like a little heat, toss in some crushed red pepper flakes for a kick.
Avocado pasta is also incredibly versatile. You can toss in roasted cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, or sautéed shrimp to make it more filling. For a vegetarian option, try topping it with toasted pine nuts or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Want extra greens? Add spinach, arugula, or peas right into the mix.
It’s a great way to make use of ripe avocados before they go bad, and it comes together faster than most traditional pasta sauces. The whole dish is ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta – no need to turn on the oven or wait for anything to bake.
Light, creamy, and full of flavor, avocado pasta is comfort food with a healthy twist. It’s perfect for warm-weather meals or anytime you want something fresh but satisfying. Once you try it, it just might become one of your go-to pasta dishes.
This recipe is made by Robert J McNeil.
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 Hass avocados peeled and sliced
- 2 plum tomatoes sliced
- 4 Garlic cloves finely chopped
- 14 Basil leaves torn
- olive oil
- salt lightly sprinkled
- shrimp Optional, cooked
Instructions
Cook Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add 1 lb of penne pasta and cook for 7 minutes until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Allow it to cool slightly.
Prepare Ingredients:
- While the pasta is cooling, peel and slice the avocados.
- Slice the plum tomatoes.
- Finely chop the garlic cloves.
- Tear the basil leaves.
Combine Ingredients:
- Add the sliced avocados, tomatoes, chopped garlic, and torn basil leaves to the bowl with the cooled penne pasta.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil and mix thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
Season and Serve:
- Lightly sprinkle the pasta mixture with salt to taste.
- Serve at room temperature.
Optional Addition:
- If desired, add cooked shrimp to the pasta mixture for extra protein.
It was okay. Kinda bland for me—needed more salt and more basil. Also my avocados weren’t ripe enough so it didn’t feel as creamy.
Just okay. Maybe I expected too much. Not a fan of the texture.
I totally get it! The texture can be hit or miss. Maybe try adding more oil next time for a creamier feel?
This was amazing! So creamy and delicious.
I tried this recipe, but the avocado turned brown too fast. Thought it would stay green. Disappointed.
Brown? That shouldn’t happen, right? I guess maybe it wasn’t ripe enough? 🤔
I know what you mean! Avocados can be tricky. Try adding some lemon juice to keep it green longer next time!
I’m skeptical about mixing avocado with pasta without cooking it—won’t it get weird? But honestly it worked. The garlic + tomato combo was way better than I expected.
This recipe is wonderful! I added some grilled chicken instead of shrimp and it was so creamy. Would definitely make again!
Glad you enjoyed it! Grilled chicken sounds like a great twist. I’ve gotta try that next time!
yum! ☺️
Avocado turns brown fast though… do you stir it in right away? I tried something similar and it looked sad after 10 minutes.
My kids loved it! Great recipe, and easy to make.
That’s awesome to hear! It’s my favorite recipe too. Kids love it because it’s so creamy and tasty!
Not worth the hype. It’s just pasta with guacamole smeared on it. 🤷♂️
Eh, avocado in hot pasta sounds kinda weird. Maybe with shrimp it’s better, but I’m not convinced.
I’m not even a pasta person, but this changed my mind. Simplicity at its best!
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s really refreshing, isn’t it?
Y’all, this is legit my new favorite recipe! My kids gobbled it up. Thank you sooo much!
The garlic + basil combo is my weakness. But 7 minutes for penne might be a little short depending on the brand—I’d start checking early. Still, sounds tasty!
Totally agree on checking early—penne timing varies a lot. I usually taste at 6 minutes and it’s perfect. Garlic + basil really does something special though.
Avocado pasta sounds kinda weird to me, not gonna lie. Also 7 minutes? My penne woulda been crunchy lol. I’d cook it longer and maybe add more garlic.
This is one of those “healthy” pastas that actually tastes good. I used whole wheat penne and it held up. Great for a quick weeknight meal.
I don’t know… avocado and pasta? Sounds weird! But maybe I’ll give it a try. Not sure about the shrimp though.
Pasta is best with meat sauce! Don’t know why people mess with avocados. But it looks good anyway.
Avocados rotting in my kitchen so I tried this. Wasn’t bad! 🤷♂️
Eh, not for me. The avocados turned brown too fast and it just looked unappetizing.
Weird combination, pasta and avocado? But I must say, it surprisingly works. 🤷♀️
I don’t understand how avocado and pasta go together. Just sounds weird to me. Maybe I’m just too traditional.
IDK if I should trust this. Pasta should be with red sauce, not green mushy stuff!
Nope. Too avocado-y. Like, I could’ve just eaten toast with avocado. Also 7 minutes didn’t make my penne al dente—I had to cook longer.
Tried this with shrimp, and it was such a hit at dinner! Will make again! 😍
Shrimp sounds great! I’m gonna try that next time too! 😋
I don’t know… shrimp in pasta? Sounds kinda weird. 😕
Yum! Made it for a dinner party, everyone loved it! Just wow!!!
I made something similar and it was soooo good. Pro tip: salt the pasta water well. Also add lemon if you have it to keep the avocado from tasting flat.
Totally agree—salted pasta water is everything. I also tried a squeeze of lemon once and it made the avocado taste way more lively instead of kinda… flat.
Honestly, this was a flop for me. The texture of the avocados just wasn’t right with pasta, I dunno.
This sounds bright and fresh! I love avocado in pasta—kinda creamy without needing a heavy sauce.
Yes!! Avocado really does make it creamy without the heaviness. I’m definitely trying this—love the bright tomato + basil combo. Did you add the avocado while the pasta is still warm so it kind of clings together?
Shrimp optional is a great idea. I made it with shrimp and it tasted restaurant-y. Would make again for sure.
shrimp optional?? i mean why not lol. i’m gonna try it. hope my basil doesn’t turn black tho
I totally agree—shrimp takes this from “good” to restaurant-y real fast. Did you season the shrimp before adding?
Deliciousness level over 9000!! 🍝🥑 Can’t stop eating it!
Too much garlic for my taste. I’ll do hald next time.
Uhhh…are you supposed to use ripe avocados? Mine were hard and it didn’t turn out great. 😕
I added chicken instead of shrimp and it was fire!!!
I didn’t expect avocado + pasta to work, but the garlic/tomato/basil combo makes sense. Super quick weeknight vibes.
Absolutely love this recipe! Super creamy and fresh. Didn’t even need the shrimp, the avocados were enough!
Delicious! The garlic and basil smell incredible. I added a little lemon and it turned out super creamy.
Pretty good but my avocado turned a little brown. Next time I’ll mix it in after the pasta cools more and add salt earlier. Still, it was tasty and felt fancy for how quick it is.
I didn’t love it. The avocados got brown too quickly. Might stick to regular pesto.
Avocado pasta feels kinda risky lol. But I’ll admit the timing—cooling slightly before mixing—probably matters so it doesn’t turn gross. Will try once.
The ingredient list is simple and that’s why I like it. No weird spices—just good produce.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about avocado in pasta, but wow. The texture was creamy without being heavy. Next time I’ll add more garlic though.
I tried it, and it came out okay. The avocado gets a little mushy if you let it sit. Next time I’ll toss right away and not let it sit too long.
Perfect for a summer meal! I love the fresh ingredients.
Not sure this will work. Avocado should be mashed with pasta water, not just sliced—unless it’s supposed to melt. idk. 😅
Easy recipe! I can make it with stuff I have at home! Yum!
Are you kidding? This is delish! 👏 Perfect for a hot day.
Yum! I added shrimp and it was delish. Fresh basil really made it pop! 😋
This was amazing! I loved the creaminess of the avocado. Will definitely make again.
I tried something similar and it was good, but my avocado got a little weird/soft. Not sure if chilling or more oil helps. Still excited to test this version!
Oof, soft avocado can happen fast—especially with hot pasta. I usually toss the pasta first, let it cool a couple minutes, then add avocado right at the end (and only a light drizzle of olive oil). Chilling helps too, but too much oil might make it mushy. Can’t wait to hear how your shrimp version turns out!
5 stars! Easy and fast. My kids ate it and ask for more—tho they called it guac noodles lol.
How is this pasta? I tried it but it felt like salad. Where’s the real flavor at?
Absolutely delicious! This dish is so creamy and simple. I added some parmesan on top, and it was a hit!
I didn’t have basil, so used parsley instead. I think it was fine, but not the same. 🤔
Can you use any other type of pasta? I’m not a fan of penne. Might try with spaghetti?
I dunno, spaghetti might be too slippery for this. Penne grabs the sauce better. But if you like it, go for it!
Absolutely, spaghetti would work great! Just adjust the cooking time a little since it might need a minute more.
Wait, only 7 minutes for penne? That seems short unless it’s truly al dente target. Maybe my pasta brand needs more time.
Step 4 says let it cool slightly but then where do you cook/mix the garlic and tomatoes? Feels incomplete to me. Still, I’m intrigued.
I tried something like this once—my avocado turned kinda brown fast. You might want to add lemon or do it right away. But flavor should be great.
Great point about the browning—lemon (or lime) helps a lot with avocados. I usually toss the sliced avocado with a little lemon juice right after slicing. Flavor-wise this sounds awesome, especially with the garlic + basil.
I think avocado in pasta can go weird if it sits too long. Also, 7 minutes for penne at that size feels short? Maybe depends. If you add avocado too early it get mushy… but if you fold it in at the end, should work.
Shrimp optional is smart. I used cooked shrimp and it came out really tasty. The only thing is the avocados get mushy if you don’t cool the pasta enough.
Totally agree—shrimp optional makes it way more versatile. I used cooked shrimp too and it hit the spot. And yes, avocados are dramatic… too much heat and they turn to mash.
I actually didn’t cool mine enough (busy life 😅) and mine got mushy. Next time I’ll cool the pasta more or add avocado right at the end. Still tasted good though.
Hard pass, not my thing. 👎
Not bad, but the instructions kinda cut off? Like… where do you add the tomatoes, garlic, and oil? I had to freestyle. I still ate it though.