Creamy Avocado Lime Pasta (Printable)
Vibrant creamy pasta tossed with avocado, lime, and cherry tomatoes for a fresh, nourishing dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
→ Sauce
02 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
03 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
04 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables & Garnish
10 - 9 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - Zest of 1 lime
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Combine avocados, lime juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the hot drained pasta with the avocado sauce. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time as needed to adjust the sauce consistency.
04 - Gently fold the halved cherry tomatoes into the pasta mixture.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with lime zest, additional grated Parmesan, and fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means dinner happens before hunger turns cranky.
- The avocado creates this naturally creamy sauce without any cream, so it feels indulgent but actually isn't heavy.
- One blender, one pot, one bowl—cleanup feels almost as easy as eating.
02 -
- Avocado oxidizes and turns brown once blended, so make the sauce just before you eat—don't prep it hours ahead.
- Hot pasta helps the sauce coat better; cold or room-temperature noodles will clump it up into chunks.
- The reserved pasta water is your secret weapon; those starch molecules loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles instead of sliding off.
03 -
- Buy avocados two or three days before you need them, then store them in a paper bag—this way they're perfectly ripe when you're ready to cook.
- Zest the lime before cutting it for juice; once it's halved, the skin becomes slippery and frustrating to work with.
- If you don't have fresh basil, a handful of fresh mint or even parsley will work—avoid dried basil, which tastes dusty and sad alongside fresh avocado.