This homemade avocado spinach pesto pasta is made with basil, spinach, pine nuts, creamy avocado, garlic and a hint of lemon. There’s no added oil, it’s easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
Have you been using store-bought pesto out of convenience? I know, I know. It’s so easy to go to the grocery store, grab a box of pasta and a jar of pesto, go home and throw everything together in minutes.
Well now you can make homemade pesto in a matter of minutes that's fresh, more flavorful, and without the added preservatives that are usually in the jars from the store. If you love pesto pasta and you’re craving something lighter for spring or summer, this avocado spinach pesto pasta is for you! It’s the perfect weeknight meal or you can meal prep it for lunch throughout the week.
The spinach avocado pesto pasta is made with only 8 main ingredients and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Simply toss the pasta of your choice in this spinach avocado pesto sauce, add any additional veggies or protein of your choice and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s many reasons to love this Avocado pesto pasta, here are a few:
- Flavorful - It’s loaded with herbs, lemon and garlic. Using a ripe buttery avocado helps give it a bright green color and creamy texture that’s more flavorful than pesto from a jar.
- Easy to Make - just toss everything into your food processor or blender and in minutes you’ll have a flavorful pesto to add to your pasta or any meal.
- Nutritious - Traditional pesto has added oil however this pesto uses half of an avocado to get a creamy texture that's so delicious! Avocados are loaded with healthy fats called Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, that are known to help reduce levels of bad cholesterol in your blood and also may help lower your risk of stroke and heart disease.
- Versatile - I love pesto over pasta, but there are so many different ways to use pesto. See variations of how to serve the pesto below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This healthy avocado pesto only requires a few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Basil leaves - look for fresh basil with green leaves and a fragrant smell.
- Spinach - fresh spinach adds color and a boost iron.
- Avocado - you’ll only need ½ of a large or 1 whole small avocado. Avocados are loaded with healthy fats and are a great source of potassium, folate and fiber.
- Garlic - using just 3 cloves adds a noticeable garlic flavor. You can adjust to taste.
- Pine nuts - too help bring out the savory flavor in the pesto
- Lemon juice - for a little acidity
- Olive oil - to help enhance the flavors and texture of the pesto. Make sure to use extra virgin olive oil.
- Water - only 3 tablespoons is needed however this will vary based on the consistency of the sauce you like. You can also reserve the pasta water after boiling the pasta for more flavor.
- Parmesan cheese - this Vegan pesto pasta uses dairy free cheese. You can also use nutritional yeast if you need the pesto to be vegan or feel free to use your favorite parmesan cheese.
- Seasonings - sea salt, ground black pepper are used as seasonings in addition to the red pepper flakes, which are optional. If you use salted pine nuts you may want to skip the additional salt. You can use kosher salt, sea salt or my favorite, himalayan pink salt.
- Pasta - this recipe uses rotini pasta however any pasta will work. You can make this dish gluten free by using a gluten-free pasta. You can also substitute the pasta for whole wheat pasta or veggie noodles like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. Avocado pesto is also good on its own as an appetizer/dip, so feel free to skip the pasta and see serving suggestions below.
How to Make the Avocado Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Make the pesto by adding the basil, spinach, avocado, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds or until the pesto is combined. Slowly add the olive oil to food processor and pulse for about 10 - 15 minutes to combine.
- Add in the water and process again until completely smooth. You may like to add more water to get it to your desired consistency.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Add to the pasta by transferring the pesto to the pasta little by little, to taste. Add more seasoning or parmesan cheese if desired and serve.
How to Serve this Spinach Avocado Pesto
- Serve it on your favorite pasta
- Use instead of red sauce on a pizza
- Make a pesto garlic bread
- It’s great as a dip for veggies
- As a marinade or dressing for grilled veggies or protein
Storage and Reheat
- For storing the pesto sauce - Avocado oxidizes (turns brown) when exposed to air. I recommend storing the avocado pesto in a container with a little lemon juice on top and covering it with plastic cling wrap, making sure it’s touching the surface of the pesto to help slow the oxidation for 2 - 3 days in the fridge. Keep refrigerated in a closed container.
- For storing the pesto pasta - Let the dish cool to room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- For reheating the pesto - The pesto will thicken in the fridge. You can thin it with a little water or just enjoy it as-is. You can make more pasta, then stir the pesto into the noodles until warmed and then serve.
- For reheating the pesto pasta - Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
Pesto tastes like a creamy, nutty lemony, garlicky basil sauce.
To thin out the avocado pesto I like to add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Pulse it in the food processor or blender to combine or give it a good stir. Add more water until you reach the desired consistency.
A high powered blender works great! Just make sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed while blending.
Avocado oxidizes (turns brown) when exposed to air. I recommend storing the avocado pesto in a container with a little lemon juice on top and covering it with plastic cling wrap before sealing the container with the lid.
Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds are good substitutes for pine nuts in pesto.
You can eat pesto hot or cold based on your preference or what you’re having it with.
More Recipes You May Like
Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi
Avocado Spinach Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta dry
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves packed
- 1/2 cup spinach
- 1/2 avocado large
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water plus more if necessary
- 1/4 cup dairy free parmesan cheese
- Sea salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Make the pesto by adding the basil, spinach, avocado, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds or until the pesto is combined. Slowly add the olive oil to food processor and pulse for about 10 - 15 minutes to combine.
- Add in the water and process again until completely smooth. You may like to add more water to get it to your desired consistency.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the dairy free parmesan cheese.
- Add the pesto to the pasta by transferring a little at a time, and mix until combined. Add more pesto until ingredients are fully coated to your liking.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed and serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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