Avocado Pesto Pasta
Avocado Pesto Pasta (or as my family affectionately calls it “Green Noodles”) is an easy 15-minute meal perfect for lunch or dinner. Toss your favorite pasta with Basil Pesto, sour cream, and mashed avocado for a healthy and filling meal ready in now time at all!
There are so many delicious ways to use pesto! Some of my favorite pesto recipes are my Pesto Tortellini Pasta, Red Pesto Pasta, and my Pesto Arugula Pizza.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy avocado and pesto pasta. I love making this pasta recipe for my kids — and they don’t even know I sneak in some avocado! It’s a great way to make pesto pasta AND the addition of avocado provides some extra healthy fats.
- Creamy avocado pesto pasta. The sour cream provides a deliciously creamy texture to the noodles.
- Easy pasta dish. This avocado pesto pasta is on repeat for lunch in my house! It’s a favorite meal for my kids but my husband and I love it too — it’s a whole family crowd pleaser!
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: You can use the pasta of your choice.
- Pesto: I used basil pesto, but you can make your own or even use my Kale Pesto Recipe.
- Sour Cream: If you don’t want to use sour cream, but you still want it to be a creamy avocado pesto pasta, then I suggest using Plain Greek Yogurt.
- Avocado: You can use a full ripe avocado or half if you’d like. The avocado flavor isn’t super prominent even if you use the full avocado. You can also use the mashed avocado you can buy from the grocery store. I wouldn’t use guacamole that has tomatoes and spices because this is an Italian-style pasta.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Boil water in a medium pot. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the noodles and cook until al dente.
- Mash avocado. While the pasta cooks, cut the large avocado in half, remove the pit, and scrape the avocado flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth.
- Drain the pasta. Once the pasta Is cooked, drain the water and place the noodles in a bowl.
- Add sour cream and pesto. Add 1/3 cup basil pesto and 1/4 cup sour cream. Mix until combined. Add the avocado and mix until combined. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
You can eliminate the sour cream from the avocado pasta salad recipe OR add plain nonfat Greek yogurt instead.
My kids like the creaminess it adds (but you’ll also get some creaminess from the avocado). If you choose not to add the sour cream or greek yogurt, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to loosen up the pasta or reserve some starchy pasta water and add that instead.
Add some quartered or halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and some mozzarella pearls. Or you can add some sun-dried tomatoes chopped up.
Make this gluten free by using gluten-free pasta. (Pesto is typically naturally gluten free, just be sure you are using certified gluten free pesto).
Costco sells a box of the Wholly avocado minis and I like to freeze those and then just remove one of the containers from the freezer and add it into the noodles. The heat from the noodles will thaw the avocado and it works perfect for this avocado pesto pasta recipe.
I used store-bought pesto, but if you have time you should make it homemade! Follow my Basil Pesto Recipe.
Add in a dash of red pepper flakes for some heat.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
If making the pesto yourself, I would make it ahead of time. You can also add the pesto ingredients to a high speed blender (smoother pesto texture) or food processor (chunkier pesto texture) while the pasta is cooking, too.
Store the avocado pesto pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. To reduce browning, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pesto pasta and press it into the pasta to remove any exposure to air. Then place the lid on the container.
Adding a splash of lemon juice to the pasta and mixing it before storing it can help reduce browning.
I wouldn’t freeze this pasta recipe. Pasta can go mushy when it’s been cooked then frozen. If you’re looking for freezer options, you can freeze pesto!
To freeze pesto, I like to freeze it in an ice cube tray, then remove the pesto cubes and store them in a freezer bag. They will keep in the freezer for like up to 6 months! It’s a great way to keep pesto longer.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the avocado pesto sauce will brown eventually. That’s why I recommend pressing a piece of plastic wrap into the pasta before adding the lid to your container when you are storing it. It’s another reason why I recommend enjoying this avocado pesto pasta within the first 1-2 days of making it.
Yes you can. You may notice the avocado beginning to brown, which is normal for avocados. Adding a splash of lemon juice before storing the pasta will help.
I would use Plain Greek Yogurt. It will just give a nice texture and make this a creamy avocado pesto pasta.
If you are using store-bought pesto, it won’t be. Pesto is made with parmesan cheese, which has dairy. You can make your own homemade pesto dairy free by using nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
More Pesto Recipes
- Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes
- Ricotta Pesto Pasta
- Grilled Tomato, Mozzarella, and Pesto Sandwich
- Zupas Tomato Basil Soup
- Pesto Chicken Parmesan
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta noodles
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup basil pesto - or can sub for kale pesto or any pesto of your choosing!
- 1/4 cup sour cream - or Greek yogurt *see notes!
- 1 ripe avocado
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Once boiling add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt then add the noodles and cook until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scrape the flesh into a bowl. Use a fork and mash the avocado until smooth. Set aside.
- Once al dente, drain the water and place the noodles in a medium bowl.
- Stir the pesto, sour cream, and mashed avocado into the noodles. Enjoy immediately!
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