Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Printable Version)

Vibrant mac with luscious avocado-basil pesto sauce for a creamy, nutritious 30-minute meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta
02 - 1 tsp salt

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the cooking pot. Pour the avocado pesto sauce over the pasta and toss gently to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen sauce as needed.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and cracked black pepper if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the kind of creamy comfort food that actually makes you feel good about what youre eating
  • The sauce comes together in literally five minutes while your pasta bubbles away
  • Even people who swear they hate avocado have asked for seconds
02 -
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, especially in the fridge, so always loosen it with a splash of warm water or milk before serving leftovers
  • Avocado oxidizes and turns brownish, but the lemon juice helps dramatically and it still tastes delicious even if the color deepens
03 -
  • Room temperature avocados blend into a silkier sauce than cold ones straight from the fridge
  • If your sauce looks a bit grainy, keep blending, the emulsion suddenly smooths out
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