This Creamy Avocado Pasta recipe is super easy, healthy, delicious, and packed with hidden spinach, a sneaky way to get kids to eat their leafy greens. Add more fresh summer veggies to make it a healthy avocado pasta salad. Dairy-free, Nut-free, Vegan friendly!
My daughter loves avocado right from the age of 6 months. Now she is 5+. I usually give her avocado in the form of avocado paratha, avocado toast, avocado golgappa, pasta with avocado, or just with some salt and pepper. She also calls this sometimes Guacamole Pasta.
This recipe couldn't get easier. If you are craving a healthy and easy pasta meal for your family, this pasta dish can be made instantly. While the Pasta is cooking in the Instant Pot, prepare the creamy avocado sauce and quickly mix it. It's creamy, fresh, and so satisfying!
If you count on calories or Low Carb/Keto diet, then use this avocado pesto sauce with zucchini to make a zoodle avocado pasta.
So, next time, do give this pasta recipe a try for your weeknight lunch or dinner, and I am sure your kids will cherish every bite of this delicious Pasta.
Today I cooked pasta in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT. You can use any equivalent electric pressure cooker like Mealthy Multipot.
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Why You'll Love This Avocado Pasta Recipe
- It takes less than 20 minutes.
- Easy and quick to make.
- Healthy, creamy, and flavorful.
- Perfect for a weeknight meal, potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.
- Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free, Nut-free, and can be made Low carb.
Avocado Pasta Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients to make a creamy avocado pasta recipe.
- Pasta: I used semolina penne pasta. But feel free to use your favorite pasta of your choice, like chickpea pasta, quinoa pasta, spaghetti, linguine, macaroni, pasta shells, or any grain-free, gluten-free pasta. For a low-carb meal, you can use zoodles or spaghetti squash instead.
- Avocado: Use good quality, fresh ripe avocado to make the green pasta sauce creamy and flavorful. I have used 1 Hass Avocado.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a great flavor to the dish, so don't skip it.
- Spinach: I have used baby spinach in this avocado pesto sauce, but you can use any fresh herbs like basil, or cilantro for a variation.
- Green chili: I have used one Thai green chili. This is added to increase the heat of the dish, you can also skip it.
- Lemon juice (or Lime juice): Lemon juice is added to add tanginess and to prevent the browning of avocado sauce, so don't miss it. You may also use lime juice instead of lemon.
- Olive oil: Use extra virgin oil for the best flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: They are added as a seasoning.
How to Make Creamy Avocado Pasta
Cooking Pasta
Stovetop Pot Method
- In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the salt.
- Add the pasta to the water, and stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (about 10-12 minutes), occasionally stirring, until al dente or softer according to the desired texture.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the excess water and keep it aside.
Instant Pot Method
- Add dry pasta, water, salt to the Instant Pot. Most of the pasta should be covered in water. If it is not, add some more water.
- Furthermore, close the lid on the pot. Pressure Cook (high pressure) for 4 minutes. Note: I am using penne pasta in this recipe which has 10 minutes for cooking on the stovetop. So to cook on Instant Pot – Divide the cooking time by half and minus one for al dente pasta. So it's 4 minutes, for softer pasta, do 5 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, wait for 5 minutes and Quick Release the remaining pressure manually. Then open the lid, and drain if there is any extra water.
Prepare Avocado Sauce for Pasta
- Put the avocado, lemon juice, oil, garlic, spinach, green chili, salt, pepper, water into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Start with ¼ cup of water and then add more as needed to get the desired consistency.
- Avocado spinach pasta sauce is ready. **Note: You can also add some parmesan cheese if desired.
Assemble the Pasta
- Now that the creamy avocado sauce is ready, add it to the al dente cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated with the dressing.
Instant Pot Avocado Pesto Pasta is ready.
Lastly, sprinkle some red chili flakes, grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and Serve it immediately or chill for an hour. Enjoy!
What to serve with Creamy Avocado Pasta?
- You or your kid can enjoy a large bowl of avocado pesto pasta and call it a meal.
- You can also add some fresh veggies and make it a healthy pasta salad and enjoy it with garlic bread.
- For extra protein, add some crispy tofu.
Variations
- Greek Yogurt: You can also add 2 tablespoons of full-fat greek yogurt while making sauce for extra protein.
- Cheese: You can also add Parmesan cheese while making the avocado cream sauce. For Vegan, use vegan parmesan cheese.
- Vegetables: To make it healthier, add fresh vegetables such as boiled sweet corn, green peas, bell peppers, steamed broccoli, roasted zucchini, roasted mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes to this dish.
- Greens: Instead of spinach, you can replace it with kale, parsley, basil, or cilantro. You can also omit the greens if you would like.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Pasta Variety: Use any kind of your favorite pasta like spaghetti, macaroni, shell, pasta shells, or rotini.
Try using whole wheat, lentils, or veggie pasta for kids to make it healthier.
Tips to Make the Best Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Use ripe avocadoes as it helps to blend easily and makes a rich and creamy sauce.
- Cook the pasta al dente, so the texture of the pasta is firm, not mushy, when toasted with the avocado dressing.
- The consistency of avocado pesto sauce should not be too thick while mixing up the pasta, else, the pasta will turn dry when eaten later. You can also add some reserved pasta water or milk to make it creamy.
- Do not reheat the pasta, the flavor of the avocado changes when heated.
- Generally, the time to cook pasta in an Instant Pot is half the suggested time on the pasta box, minus one for al dente pasta.
- Also, ensure you have enough water to cover most of the pasta underwater. Depending on the shape and size of the pasta, you may need more or fewer liquids. BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add ½ cup of extra water while making the pasta.
Recipe FAQs
I do not recommend storing the leftovers as this pasta contains avocado; it will change color and turn brownish. However, you can store the leftovers for 24 hours in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Also, I was not too fond of the taste of leftover pasta.
Follow the same steps as the avocado pasta recipe. Add some roasted cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, boiled sweet corn, boiled green peas, and avocado chunks. Mix well and serve the avocado pasta salad recipe immediately.
I have used baby spinach, but you can use other greens such as basil, kale, and parsley. You can also omit the greens if you like.
Traditional Pesto is made with walnuts or pine nuts. I did not use it in this recipe. Feel free to add some while making the sauce.
I did not use parmesan cheese, and this is optional. If you don't have any vegan restrictions, add the grated cheese while making the pesto sauce.
Yes, you can freeze the leftover avocado pesto pasta sauce in freezer-safe ziplock or airtight containers for up to 1 month.
Do not skip adding lemon juice while making the pasta sauce, this will help to delay the oxidizing process of the pasta. You can also squeeze some lemon juice after you toss the pasta with the sauce.
More Avocado Recipes
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Sandwich
- Guacamole Sandwich
- Avocado Smoothie
- Avocado Chocolate Mousse
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Creamy Avocado Dressing
Also, explore more American recipes for your next family dinner inspiration.
More Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
- Taco Pasta
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Creamy Spinach Pasta
- Butternut Squash Pasta
- Mac and Cheese
If you’ve tried this easy avocado pesto pasta recipe or any other recipe on Indianveggiedelight, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the latest recipes!
Creamy Avocado Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
For Cooking Pasta:
- 8 oz penne pasta i used semolina pasta (about 2-2.5 cups) or any pasta
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
For Avocado Sauce:
- 1 large avocado ripened
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt adjust to taste
- red chilli flakes for garnish
Instructions
How to Cook Pasta:
- Stovetop Pot Method: In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the salt. Add the pasta to the water, stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together.Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (about 10-12 minutes) stirring occasionally, until al dente or softer according to the desired texture. Once the pasta is cooked, drain excess water and keep it aside.
- Instant Pot Method: Add dry pasta, water, salt to the Instant Pot. Most of the pasta should be covered in the water. If it is not, add some more water.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.Note: Using penne pasta in this recipe which has 10 minutes for cooking on stovetop. So to cook on Instant Pot – Divide the cook time by half and minus one for al dente pasta. So its 4 minutes. For softer pasta do 5 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, wait for 5 minutes and Quick Release the remaining pressure manually. Then open the lid, drain if there is any extra water.
Prepare Avocado Sauce for Pasta:
- Put the avocado, lemon juice, oil, garlic, spinach, green chili, salt, pepper, water into a food processor and blend until smooth.Start with ¼ cup of water and then add more as needed to get the desired consistency.Avocado spinach pasta sauce is ready. **Note: You can also add some parmesan cheese if desired.
Assemble:
- Add the avocado pasta sauce to the instant pot insert, and then toss until evenly coated. This avocado pesto pasta is best served within 2-3 hours it is made, as it uses avocados which will turn a brownish color.
- Sprinkle over some chilli flakes and top with parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Variations
- Greek Yogurt: You can also add 2 tablespoons of full-fat greek yogurt while making sauce for extra protein.
- Cheese: You can also add Parmesan cheese while making the avocado cream sauce. For Vegan, use vegan parmesan cheese.
- Vegetables: To make it healthier, add fresh vegetables such as boiled sweet corn, steamed broccoli, green peas, zucchini, bell peppers, roasted mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes to this dish.
- Greens: Instead of spinach, you can replace it with kale, parsley, basil, or cilantro. You can also omit the greens if you would like.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Pasta Variety: Use any kind of your favorite pasta like spaghetti, macaroni, shell, or rotini.
Try using whole wheat, lentils, or veggie pasta for kids to make it healthier.
Tips to Make the Best Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Use ripe avocadoes as it helps to blend easily and makes a rich and creamy sauce.
- Cook the pasta al dente, so the texture of the pasta is firm, not mushy when toasted with the avocado dressing.
- The consistency of avocado pesto sauce should not be too thick while mixing up the pasta, else, the pasta will turn dry when eaten later. You can also add some reserved pasta water or some milk to make it creamy.
- Do not reheat the pasta, the flavor of the avocado changes when heated.
- Generally, the time to cook pasta in an Instant Pot is half the suggested time on the pasta box, minus one for al dente pasta.
- Also, ensure you have enough water to cover most of the pasta underwater. Depending on the shape and size of the pasta, you may need more or fewer liquids. BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add ½ cup of extra water while making the pasta.
Anonymous says
My family loved it ,came out yummy!
bhavana says
Thank you!
Anonymous says
Nice Recipe
bhavana says
thank you
Chris says
My avocados were getting too ripe so I made with arugula and fresh linguini...what was on hand..and served with rosemary olive oil garlic bread...we lapped it all up at once, so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
bhavana says
Glad to know you liked the recipe 🙂
Anonymous says
yummy wonderful recipe.
bhavana says
Thank you for sharing your feedback:)
Sushma bharadwaj says
Did not no what to cook with Avacado. In winter this is the best recipe to do with avacado. Yummy loved it😋 5 ⭐️
bhavana says
Thank you Sushma 🙂 I am glad you loved it, thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂
Debra Weber says
Love avocados. This sounds great. What kind of "green" chili are you using in this recipe?
Bhavana Patil says
I have used 1 thai chili.hope this helps.
Alexa says
This recipe was super good. You should definitely make it!! Some cherry tomatoes really spice it up, I used some 😋.
Bhavana Patil says
Yayyy!! Thanks a ton for the feedback Alexa 🙂 Happy to see your comment in Pinterest and here as well 🙂
Kaycee Perkins says
Can I leave the chili out trying to find dairy free options for toddler that loves pasta.thanks
Bhavana Patil says
Yes you can skip green chili.
Deepa says
The sauce is tasty, healthy and quick to make and so versatile! Cooking pasta in instapot…wow! Never done it until today, but will keep the instructions handy. I added sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach in mine. The recipe is a keeper
Bhavana Patil says
Thank you so much, Deepa 🙂 I am really happy to hear that, do try other recipes from the blog and share your feedback 🙂 Have a great day.
Danica says
Tried this last night and it was delicious!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Bhavana Patil says
Thank you Danica 😊
Emily C says
Found this recipe well over a year ago and now make it regularly. Super easy to follow, and delicious and easy to make! I use garlic granules instead of fresh garlic and it tastes just fine! Find this also works without the spinach if need be, but tastes much better with! I usually serve with fried mushrooms and fresh baby/cherry tomatoes.
Bhavana Patil says
Thanks for sharing all the variations Emily. I am glad you liked the recipe.
Arthi says
Wow!! Wonderful recipe. It's super quick, Healthy and lip smacking one.. I love avocados so I really loved it. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Bhavana Patil says
Thank You so much for sharing your feedback Arthi, glad you liked it.