Creamy Avocado Lime Pasta (Printable)

Silky pasta tossed with creamy avocado sauce, fresh lime, and juicy cherry tomatoes for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine (use gluten-free if needed)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
07 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

10 - 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - Zest of 1 lime
12 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to serve

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine avocado, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, cilantro (or parsley), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen.
04 - In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the avocado sauce until evenly coated, adding more pasta water as necessary for a silky texture.
05 - Gently fold in the cherry tomatoes.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with lime zest, pine nuts (if using), and extra black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a fancy restaurant
  • Its incredibly creamy and satisfying without any heavy cream or cheese
02 -
  • The avocado sauce will darken slightly if it sits too long because of oxidation but it still tastes delicious
  • This dish really needs to be served fresh and hot for the best texture experience
03 -
  • Room temperature avocados blend more smoothly than cold ones from the fridge
  • Double the sauce recipe and use the extra as a dip for vegetables the next day