Avocado Spinach Basil Pesto Spaghetti (Printable)

Creamy avocado and basil pesto coating tender spaghetti with fresh spinach for a vibrant, nutritious vegetarian pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Pesto

03 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
04 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
06 - 2 cloves garlic
07 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
10 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine avocados, spinach, basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If the mixture is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
04 - Toss the drained spaghetti with the pesto, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to coat the noodles evenly.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil leaves, and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all the luxurious richness of a cream sauce without actually using cream
  • The pesto comes together in minutes while your pasta water boils
  • It transforms basic spaghetti into something that feels restaurant special
02 -
  • The pesto is best used immediately but will keep in the fridge for a day if you press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning
  • Reserving that pasta water is nonnegotiable, it is the secret to getting restaurant level sauce consistency
03 -
  • Add a handful of baby spinach to the pasta water during the last minute of cooking for extra greens
  • The pesto works beautifully as a sandwich spread the next day if you have leftovers

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