Avocado Pesto Pasta

Creamy and simple, this Avocado Pesto Pasta is sublime!

The light and healthy avocado pesto is tossed with hot pasta and sauteed shallots and garlic. The ingredients are simple and wholesome. This pasta takes just minutes to make. Basically however long it takes for the pasta to cook, making this perfect for a weeknight!

The avocado makes this pasta so creamy that you'd guess there was cream in the sauce. I love asiago with this pasta, but parmesan is, of course, delicious too. Toss a little cooked chicken or shrimp with this pasta for more protein if you'd like!

Avocado Pesto Pasta
Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

• 1 (12 oz) box multigrain pasta
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled & pitted
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago (or parmesan)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• asiago (or parmesan) shavings, for garnish
• pasta water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Season lightly with salt & pepper. Turn off heat and set aside.

Add the avocado, lemon, basil, and 1/4 cup olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

Add the hot, cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add shredded asiago and toss to combine. Pour in the avocado mixture and shallot mixture and toss to coat. Add pasta water as needed to form a thinner sauce. (I ended up using about 2/3 cup pasta water). Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle with asiago shavings as desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!