If you love pasta but are craving something lighter for spring and summer, this is the pasta for you! Avocado lovers unite! The key to this 10-ingredient, 30-minute dish is the avocado pesto sauce, which was inspired by the flavors and vibrant color of our Green Goddess Dressing!
It’s lemony, garlicky, herby, and incredibly creamy thanks to buttery avocado. Simply toss the pasta of your choice in this delicious sauce and add any seasonal veggies you have on hand and call it a meal or picnic-friendly side. Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Avocado Pasta Sauce
The star of this pasta salad is the sauce. It’s made with a creamy avocado base, brightened up with fresh herbs and lemon, and packs a punch from garlic, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper. Olive oil is an optional addition for a richer sauce and more earthy/floral notes.
All the ingredients get blended up in a small blender or food processor with a little water to encourage blending. The result is a thick and creamy avocado pasta sauce in a matter of minutes!
After preparing the sauce, all that’s left to do is cook the pasta and coat it in sauce. If you have any fresh seasonal veggies lying around, this would be a good time to add them in. We think roasted broccoli, fresh arugula or peas, or slow roasted tomatoes would all pair nicely.
Step it up to the next level by garnishing with sun-dried tomatoes for bites of sweetness and vegan parmesan cheese for a salty, cheesy element. Swoon!
We hope you LOVE this avocado pasta salad! It’s:
Herby
Zesty
Creamy
Lemony
Fresh
& SO delicious!
It’s the perfect side or entrée for spring and beyond! Enjoy it on its on or paired with roasted vegetables or a salad. It would be especially delicious with our Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad with Herbed White Beans (30 Minutes!), Super Cleansing Slaw with Rosemary Dressing, Grain-Free Tabbouleh Salad (6 Ingredients!), or 5-Minute Green Salad with No-Mix Tahini Dressing.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad with Hemp Pesto (V/GF)
- Penne Pasta Salad (30 minutes!)
- Vegan Macaroni Salad
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
PASTA
- Water for boiling
- 1 Tbsp salt (for seasoning the water)
- 12 oz. dry gluten-free pasta (we like Trader Joe’s Brown Rice & Quinoa Fusilli)
SAUCE
- 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh parsley (loosely chopped before measuring)
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (loosely chopped before measuring)
- 3 Tbsp loosely packed fresh chives (loosely chopped before measuring // if you don’t have chives, sub more of the other herbs)
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup ripe mashed avocado
- 1/3 cup water (plus more as needed)
- 3 large cloves garlic
- 1 tsp coconut aminos (for depth of flavor // or sub half the amount of tamari)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional // for more earthy, floral flavor)
FOR SERVING optional
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 2 quarts (~1.9 liters) of water to a boil, and add 1 Tbsp salt to season pasta water (amounts written as original recipe // adjust as needed if adjusting serving size).
- While water is coming to a boil, make the sauce. To a small blender or food processor, add parsley, basil, chives, lemon juice, avocado, water, garlic, coconut aminos, salt, pepper, and olive oil (optional). Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Sauce may seem a little thick but will loosen when it’s added to the pasta.
- Once water is boiling, cook gluten-free pasta according to package directions. Then drain pasta and immediately transfer to a medium serving bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust, adding more salt if needed, lemon for more zing, or chopped basil for more herbiness.
- Serve immediately. Option to garnish with veggies of choice (such as chopped sun-dried tomatoes — rehydrated if fully dry), vegan parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon juice. Best served fresh at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Not freezer friendly.
Rachel K. says
I was wondering if I could buy pre-made pesto and if so, how much should I use? (Alternatively, what is the yield on the pesto sauce in this recipe and I can adjust accordingly?)
Thank you!
Hi Rachel, the could work! You might still want to blend the avocado with the pesto or it won’t be saucy. We’d estimate about 1/4 cup pesto, but it will vary by brand. We’d say start with 2 Tbsp and work up to taste. Hope that helps!
Ines says
superior pesto. highly recommend. if you have not made this yet, you’re missing out.
grotesqueer says
Too much lemon juice to my liking, but other than that, SO GOOD! I can’t stop eating it though I’m already full. 😅
And super quick and easy, even when making for the first time!
I made some alterations though:
– I used the entire pots* of basil, parsley and chives
– I used one whole avocado
– I didn’t half the amount for tamari
– For protein I added one block of tofu, crumbled and fried in chili oil and half of the garlic. (Should have maybe skipped the chili.)
– Added some herb salt.
One missing star is for the lemoniness and lack of protein.
(*Fresh herbs are sold growing in small pots here. In total perhaps about twice the amount than in the recipe)
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you enjoyed!
Jill says
Made this last night with just a few modifications. I didn’t have parsley so I doubled up on basil, used dehydrated chives and added half of a small zucchini to the blended sauce. It turned out wonderful, everyone loved it. I feel like this recipe is very versatile and I can’t wait to take the advice of some of the others who took this sauce on the road because I’m always looking for good camping recipes that don’t make me feel like I am compromising nature for nutrition.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jill. Thank you for sharing! xo
Anon says
I added halved cherry tomatoes, canned white beans, and sauteed kale to make this a little more substantial for work lunches. Lasted all week for me! Came out great.
Wonderful! Love those additions, Anon. Thank you for sharing! xo
Liz S. says
Wow! My entire family loved this recipe. We used soy sauce instead of Coconut Aminos, just because I had it handy. It worked fine. Please note: my nut-allergic son wanted me to make the pasta from the new Disney movie, Luca. All I did to alter the recipe to match the movie was add chopped up potatoes and green beans to the pasta as it cooked–drained the pasta/beans/potatoes at the same time. Mixed in sauce. He was overjoyed.
Aw, love that! We’re so glad to hear the whole family enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing, Liz! xo
Ana says
Thank you for this fresh and delicious recipe. The whole family loved it. I didn’t have sundried tomatoes, so I added roasted broccoli (idea from another recipe of yours) and cherry tomatoes instead. I’m so glad we have leftovers!
We’re so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it, Ana! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Kelly says
I accidentally did 1/2 cup packed parsley, and used a whole lemon’s juice, didn’t measure. Topped it with cashew parm and Italian-seasoned grilled tempeh. So delicious!!! Will make this recipe again and again.
Yumm – maybe we should measure less often! Thanks for the lovely review, Kelly. xo
Kaitlin says
So simple yet so, so flavorful!
xoxo!
Marie says
This is absolutely wonderful as written. Kids enjoyed it as well.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Marie. We are so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Heather says
This sauce is wonderful as written. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the kind review, Heather! xo
Cathy Beedle says
I enjoyed this pasta so much I’m making it again for the second night in a row! The lemon was a tiny bit too much so I’ll be sure to adjust tonight. We added walnuts for a bit of texture, seitan would be good also.
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Cathy! Happy to hear it’s making a repeat appearance! xo
Eva says
Can only the pesto sauce be made ahead, and then warmed up the next day with freshly boiled pasta? Thanks in advance!
Yes!
Eva says
I did this for a weekend trip- made the sauce on Thursday, stuck it in the fridge for 24 hrs, travelled with it in a cooler for 4 hours, then mixed it with sundried tomatoes and freshly boiled hot pasta on Friday. Everyone raved! Next time I might add some kalamata olives… such an easy way to use up any herbs :) Thank you!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Eva!
shelley mcnaughton says
I am diabetic type 1. What is the nutritional value for only the pesto sauce itself without the parmesan cheese.
Hi Shelley, we haven’t calculated the sauce on its own. We’d suggest using a tool such as cronometer.
Molly says
This was a fabulously customizable recipe! I didn’t have any parsley or basil on hand but so I used fresh dill, which transformed the recipe in a fresh, fun way. Using this recipe as a base, I added snap peas, cherry tomatoes, peppers, and spinach, making this a full meal. I used chickpea pasta to give that extra pop of protein. The whole family loved and I’ll make it again (and perhaps try the original herbs this time!)
PS – a generous heaping of nutritional yeast is a great sub for parm in a pinch!
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Molly. Love all your creative modifications/additions too. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Sandrine says
Those modif sounds amazing! I noted them. Thank you for sharing :)
Donna says
We just made this with spaghetti and asparagus! It was so fresh and bright! Delicious! Perfect to celebrate spring.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Donna. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Sienna says
This was amazing!!!!! (I’m not vegan) so I added some chicken and zucchini with a little bit of Parmesan on top and OH. MY. GOD. This recipe was definitely a keeper and making another bath for my aunt tomorrow!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sienna. Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Michelle says
this was delicious and didn’t take that long to make. added some roasted asparagus and we did use the sundried tomatoes. Wonderful!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sara says
We were looking for something quick (and vegan) for supper, and this popped up in my inbox. It was quick, easy, and delicious! (I used two garlic cloves, and found that to be enough for my taste.)
I’m a huge fan of your recipes (they’re simple and almost always turn out great) and find myself coming back to your website more than others.
Thank you so much!!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad our recipes, Sara. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Jennifer Hopkins says
Any idea how long this will last in the fridge? I’m wondering if it will get brown with the avocado in it?
Hi Jennifer, It will last up to 2 days.