Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Lynde

This has nothing to do with the recipe. I am eager to try the recipe being presented .

Lisa

This recipe was stunning. I made a few tweaks. I quickly microwaved double the amount of garlic for a minute in the microwave just to take off the bite of fresh garlic. I added a heaping handful of spinach when adding basil as well as pasta water instead of the regular water. To add a bit of vegetarian protein, I baked cannellini beans on 425 for about 30 minutes until crispy to add on top. It was a huge hit.

Christina

Delicious. Used pasta water for the 1/2 cup of water in the pesto to add flavor and didn’t use the full amount of water or olive oil as I added some olive oil and salt to the pasta water. I prefer pesto less soupy so this worked well. Roasted the pepitos and freshly roasted was delicious. Definitely added flavor. Would roast fresh over buying roasted if possible. Will make again and for serve for guests!

Rh

Made it and loved it. I followed the pesto recipe almost exactly, but applied it to pappardelle and roasted pumpkin slices. For those who didnt like this recipe- I would suggest-- make sure you're using a decent quality olive oil (Cali Evo if you can only get to Walmart, for instance)- check your seasoning when you combine the pesto and pasta- do NOT rely on excessive cheese to carry the tasty component of the dish, as you will outweigh the fresher, lighter basil components- salt aggressive

Holly Mulcahy

Excellent. I forgot to buy more pepitas, so I subbed in half pistachios, which actually turned out brilliantly. Used pasta water, and will save some for reheating tomorrow.

Sierra

Delicious - I topped this with extra lemon for more flavor. I didn't have pepitas so I opted for almonds and it tasted great. I also added grilled chicken - huge hit!

Rich

Love this dish, Pesto recipe. A fav......put it in jars and give to everyone. It has made me a pestoholic!

Mimi

So this recipe is just okay. IMHO, it needs lemon zest, roasted tomatoes with garlic, red pepper flakes... something to make it not bland.

Gil

I wouldn't recommend this recipe. Not an improvement upon a more typical pesto. The pepitas do not grind nicely like pine nuts do and remain unpleasantly sharp and the crunch has no place here. Pesto was very thick and dry.

John

Millions of Italians and lovers of Italian food have just fainted. I'm one of them, but I still intend to try this interesting, if heretical, pesto.

Megs

Very nice creamy sauce without the cream! A different pesto, able to hide some extra goodness from the family ;) Will do again.

condiment queen

We made half of the sauce and used about 3/4 pound of pasta. This was plenty for three hungry people. Not too rich. Served with steamed veggies and shrimp. I was concerned by one comment that the pepitas made the pesto gritty, but ours turned out very smooth.

Diane C.

I had no fresh basil in my kitchen, (and no time to get to the store) so I used fresh cilantro instead. Absolutely delish! Only thing I found disappointing about this recipe was that the leftover sauce didn't stay bright green.

Clare

Pepitas instead of pine nuts for the pesto is a game changer! I used unsalted pepitas, and it didn’t affect the taste at all. Delicious and will be in regular rotation.

JV

Loved it! So creamy and delish. Due to the high salt factors I used (heavy French sea salt to cook pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano), the salted water AND tsp in recipe was overload in mine. Will use regular parmesan next time and not use salt to boil pasta to test. Otherwise, the avocado and pepitas were absolute delights. It was fun and super quick to put this together for a quick, nutritious dinner.

LP

Delicious and simple.

Vladimir

It is great. The spices, lemon juice and cheese can be adjusted according to taste! The texture is great with pasta

DSave

A really nice recipe. We made this vegan and gluten-free, skipping the Parmesan and using chickpea pasta. We also used pine nuts instead of pepitas and we had fresh basil from the garden. It was a lovely dish that was light-tasting and yet filling. Will certainly make this again in the same way!

Katherine

Phenomenal! Tripled the garlic and added a bit more salt (nuts were unsalted) and lime juice. Served with pasta and burst cherry tomatoes.

Ivydivy

A bit too rich for us. It's essentially a recipe for pesto, which is already rich, and then add avocado. Didn't think it added anything but a claggy texture.

Jen F

My family loved this including my daughter who was skeptical because she doesn’t like avocados. It was creamy and delicious. I tweaked it to accommodate my pesto preferences- used pistachios instead of pepitas, used pasta water for the water, used less water and oil than called for, used some white miso for the salt, upped the lemon and added some lemon zest. Will be a keeper in my household. They creamy texture was luxurious.

Marjorie

We love this recipe's bold fresh flavors! Quick as it is to throw together, it is as much company worthy as it is a star for a weeknight dinner. I've made it with toasted pine nuts, pistachios and the pepitas. I've even made it without any nuts/seeds. I've used more lemon juice and no pasta water. It's just as delicious and beautiful with short pasta or regular spaghetti. You can't go wrong with this! Make it as written or make it your own. Thanks Kay Chun and New York Times.

p

I’m so sorry to be a hater because I love NYT recipes and never comment to be unhelpful: this recipe REALLY isn’t it. It tastes (even with the freshest avocados, and commenters mods) like avocado toast over extended itself, and deprived pasta of its joyous, rich saucy slurpy deliciousness. Balance is off, nothing helped the original recipe - I’ve made 3 versions because this is my dream pasta idea. And I can cook! :(

Tamara

Absolutely delicious, and while I couldn’t taste the avocado, the pesto overall tasted more like I WISH my regular pesto would taste. Super rich and creamy! I actually think two whole cups in the pasta might be *too* rich; next time I’ll try maybe 1.25 cups. Also note that this is a perfect base recipe to add deliciousness to. So to those saying this could use tomatoes or red pepper or… Just, you know, do that. :) Add it in! (Can’t wait to try this as a cold salad, as someone suggested!)

Anne

Great dish! Subbed the pepitas for walnuts - delicious. Added 1x tablespoon lemon-rind - it really added a freshness. Defo add lots of salt- keep tasting until you’re happy!

Linda

Delicious! Quick and easy for after work prep. I added cooked chicken breast and have enough for lunch tomorrow. Yum!

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Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep avocado pesto from turning brown? ›

To prevent browning, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the avocado pesto and refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Do you add pesto to hot or cold pasta? ›

  1. It is better to mix your pesto to fresh boiled pasta, not for taste-reasons but for a rather practical issue: unseasoned pasta gets sticky when it cools down and you won't be able to mix it properly.
  2. If you please to have your pasta with pesto cold, season it warm and let it then cool down.
Aug 3, 2023

How do you make pesto better? ›

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

Should I add pasta water to pesto? ›

Reserve some pasta water.

The salty, starchy pasta water will loosen the pesto enough to make a light sauce over the pasta. Because of its salty, starchy quality, this water will make a more flavorful, thicker final pesto sauce than regular water would.

Will lemon juice keep pesto from turning brown? ›

How to Use Lemon Juice to Keep Pesto Green. Another way to prevent basil oxidation? Lower its pH with lemon juice. Browning happens most readily at neutral pH, so making the pesto's pH more acidic can help slow down this process.

Does lemon juice keep avocado from turning brown? ›

Acidulants, such as citric and ascorbic acid found in lemon juice, help lower the pH of avocados and decrease the enzymatic activity, keeping them from turning brown ( 1 , 3 ). Therefore, squeezing a little lemon juice on top of your cut avocado before storing it could help delay browning.

How much pesto should you add to pasta? ›

As a very rough guide, your pesto should weigh about 2/3 the weight of the dried pasta you are cooking. So, for a standard, single serving of 75g of dried pasta, we think that 50g of pesto is about right.

How to jazz up pesto pasta? ›

Add 20g of coriander, 5g of mint and half a green chilli to the pesto and blitz. Makes a herby and spicy pesto that works well with noodles.

Can you eat pesto straight from the jar? ›

Yes, pesto can be used straight from the jar and doesn't require cooking or heating. In fact, we actively discourage applying too much heat to pesto, as this will destroy many of the fresh flavours that producers work so hard to retain.

What can I add to jar pesto to make it better? ›

Here are 14 ways to add more flavor to store-bought pesto.
  1. Upgrade with a drizzle of olive oil. ...
  2. Bring a touch of heat. ...
  3. Pour in a bit of acid. ...
  4. Shape it with heavy cream. ...
  5. Integrate some green vegetables or fresh herbs. ...
  6. Incorporate additional nuts or seeds. ...
  7. Swirl in flavored salt. ...
  8. Scoop in a small amount of mayonnaise.
Mar 31, 2024

Why does my homemade pesto taste bad? ›

If your olive oil has been open for more than 12 months, then you may start to detect hints of must, vinegar, bitterness, or a metallic aftertaste. Once oil has turned rancid, there's nothing you can do to fix it, and you'll simply have to throw the whole lot away.

What not to use for pesto? ›

It's up to you if you want to use Pecorino Romano or classic Parmesan, but there is one rule you must follow: Pestos need hard, salty, aged cheeses. Creamy fresh fromage, like chèvre, doesn't combine well, and makes for a gloopy sauce.

Why does my pesto pasta taste bland? ›

Why is my pesto bland? It's likely because you need to add more basil or salt. You want your pesto to taste slightly too salty - that way when it's mixed with pasta the dish won't be bland.

Is pesto better with penne or spaghetti? ›

Pesto, on the other hand, flourishes best when paired with thinner noodles, such as spaghetti and linguine, and with shapes that have plenty of twists, grooves, curls, and troughs. Fusilli is not only one of the most well-known pasta shapes; it's also the UK's most popular and our ultimate shape to use with pesto.

How do you keep pesto from changing color? ›

Try squeezing in a bit of lemon juice. To prevent the pesto from changing color during storage, place the pesto in a container and pour a thin layer of oil over the top of the pesto. This prevents the air from getting to the pesto.

Why is my pesto turning brown while making it? ›

The cause of pesto turning brown, or grey is usually because the herbs have started oxidising. The best way to slow that process is to reduce the amount of time the sauce is exposed to air.

How do you keep avocado salad from turning brown? ›

Using lemon or lime juice to create a barrier. According to Chef Betsy Wiegand of Great White, a coastal-Californian cafe in Venice Beach, California, adding a squeeze of lemon to a cut avocado can help prevent browning.

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