Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Printable)

Vibrant mac tossed with luscious avocado-basil sauce for a creamy, nutritious meal ready in 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta of choice
02 - 1 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
09 - 1/4 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant milk)
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a splash more milk if needed to reach a silky sauce consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the avocado pesto sauce and toss gently to coat. Add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the sauce as needed.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, basil, and black pepper if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce stays impossibly creamy without any heavy cream or butter
  • Ready in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have
  • Even vegetable skeptics find themselves going back for seconds
02 -
  • The sauce will darken slightly as it sits, so serve this right after tossing for the brightest color
  • If your blender struggles, add another tablespoon of milk to help things move smoothly
  • Room temperature avocados blend better than cold ones straight from the fridge
03 -
  • Use slightly underripe avocados if you plan to make this aheadtheir texture holds up better
  • Warm the milk slightly before blending if your kitchen is particularly cold
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