Creamy, vibrant, and packed with nourishing ingredients, this Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta is a delicious twist on the classic Italian favorite. Instead of cheese and cream, ripe avocado steps in to create a luxuriously smooth sauce—rich in healthy fats and naturally dairy-free. Blended with fragrant basil, zesty lemon, garlic, and a handful of nuts, the result is a silky green pesto that clings beautifully to every bite of pasta.
This quick and satisfying dish is great for a main entree or party-pleasing side dish. It takes everything you love about traditional pesto—the bold garlic, the aromatic basil, the nutty richness—and reimagines it with the buttery texture of ripe avocado in place of cheese and cream. The result is a silky, green sauce that tastes indulgent while nourishing your body with heart-healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants.
Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, summer potluck, or as a make-ahead lunch. Best of all, it comes together in under 30 minutes with simple, whole-food ingredients—and it’s just as tasty served warm or chilled.. Top it with juicy cherry tomatoes and briny kalamata olives.
Ingredient Notes for Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Avocado: Ripe avocados provide creaminess and richness. Use just-ripe avocados—too soft and they can taste overly earthy or bitter.
- Basil: The foundation of classic pesto. Keep it fresh and bright; avoid wilted or bruised leaves.
- Lemon Juice: Adds brightness, balances richness, and helps prevent the avocado from browning.
- Cashews: Blended cashews add a wonderfully creamy texture to any sauce. They should be raw and unsalted. Soaking in warm water for a few minutes allows them blend into a silky uniform texture. Otherwise, they can make your sauce a little grainy.
- Spinach: Just another way to add vibrant green color to your sauce. Spinach (and greens in general) are a good plant-based source of iron as well as nitrates, which help reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow.
- Tomatoes: Halved cherry tomatoes work great in this recipe. Alternatively, you might try chopped sundried tomatoes.
- Olives: I don’t recommend skipping out on the olives. They add a salty, savory kick. I used Kalamata but any variety will do.
Preparation Tips
- Use al dente pasta—short shapes like cavatappi, penne, or rotini hold the sauce well.
- Reserve a little pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles, if needed.
- Try whole wheat, lentil, or chickpea pasta for added fiber and protein.
- Blend sauce ingredients until silky. Add a little water or oil, a tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency.
- Use sauce immediately to keep the color bright and avoid oxidation.
- If making ahead, store the sauce with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface or add extra lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
Consider adding:
- Sun-dried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes
- Arugula or microgreens
- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat
Serve alongside:
- Summer Zucchini Squash Soup
- Veggie Pita Pizzas
- Balsamic Portobello Burger
- Texas Caviar (Black Eyed Pea Salad)
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes10
minutesIngredients
8 ounces penne or cavatappi pasta
1 large ripe avocado, skin and seed removed
2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
1 and ½ cups basil loosely packed
2 cups fresh spinach
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
¼ cup raw unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons lemon juice from ½ large lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Kalamata olives, sliced
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
- Soak the cashews in warm water for 15-20 minutes.
- Make the pesto: Add the avocado, oil, basil, spinach, garlic, soaked cashews and lemon juice to a food processor. Mix thoroughly. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides. Add salt and pepper and give a few final pulses until the mixture in uniformly creamy. Add a little water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Add the pesto to the warm pasta. Add the tomato halves and olives. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
