Creamy Avocado Pasta

4.84 from 66 votes

Creamy Avocado Pasta is a super healthy, delicious and packed with hidden spinach, avocado.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword avocado, avocado pasta, cold pasta salad, instant pot, pasta recipes, pasta salad, under 30 minutes

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 615kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

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.

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.

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!

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.

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.

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.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.