Smashed Avocado Pasta (Printable)

Creamy mashed avocado coating warm pasta with zesty lime, garlic, and a hint of chili for bold flavor.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop flesh into a large bowl and mash with a fork until mostly smooth but still slightly chunky.
03 - Add lime juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocado. Stir thoroughly until fully incorporated and creamy.
04 - Add the hot drained pasta to the avocado mixture immediately. Toss vigorously to coat noodles evenly. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until reaching desired creamy consistency.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Plate immediately and top with fresh herbs, extra chili flakes, Parmesan, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the exact time it takes for your pasta to cook, making this possibly the quickest weeknight dinner in your rotation.
  • The creaminess rivals any dairy-based sauce but comes entirely from the avocado, which means you can adjust it to be vegan without sacrificing that luxurious texture.
02 -
  • Timing is everything—this sauce doesnt like to sit around, so have everything prepped and ready to go before your pasta is done cooking.
  • The pasta should still be quite hot when tossed with the avocado mixture, as the residual heat helps the flavors meld without actually cooking the avocado.
03 -
  • When selecting avocados, pop off the small stem nub at the top—if you see green underneath, its perfectly ripe, but if its brown, the avocado is likely overripe.
  • The pasta water is critical for this recipe, so I sometimes clip a measuring cup to the side of my colander as a visual reminder not to accidentally dump it all down the drain.
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