Smashed Avocado Pasta (Printable)

A zesty, creamy pasta with mashed avocado, lime, and chili flakes. Vegetarian, easy to make, and ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Mixture

03 - 2 ripe avocados
04 - 1 lime, juiced and zested
05 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
07 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes plus extra for garnish
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh basil or cilantro leaves
10 - Grated Parmesan or vegan alternative
11 - Additional lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Halve and pit avocados. Scoop flesh into a large bowl and mash until mostly smooth consistency.
03 - Add lime juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to mashed avocado. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Add drained warm pasta to avocado mixture. Toss to coat, incorporating reserved pasta water gradually until creamy sauce forms.
05 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately topped with fresh herbs, additional chili flakes, Parmesan, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes your pasta to cook, perfect for those nights when cooking feels like too much effort but takeout feels like giving up.
  • The creamy richness of avocado creates a silky sauce without any dairy, making everyone at the table happy regardless of dietary preferences.
02 -
  • Adding pasta to the sauce while its still hot is crucial, as the residual heat helps the avocado mixture coat each strand properly without needing to return it to heat which can turn avocados bitter.
  • This dish waits for no one, as the avocado will eventually oxidize and darken, so have everyone at the table ready to eat when you serve.
03 -
  • The pasta water should be as salty as the Mediterranean, which seems excessive until you taste the difference it makes in the final dish.
  • Choose avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure at the stem end, and if theyre not quite ready, store them in a paper bag with a banana to speed ripening.
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