Two things prompted me to make this Avocado pasta. One, I am in the throes of comprehensive exam studying and so I need quick dinners. Two, I had some cilantro and an avocado leftover from the salsa and guacamole I made for M’s birthday party last week and I didn't want them to go to waste.
Don’t let the number of steps in the recipe fool you, this avocado pasta is very quick to make. If you are strapped for time, you can skip the roasting of the almonds and tomatoes and, if you get a chance to make the pesto ahead of time, dinner will only take about 20 minutes to put together (including the time it takes to boil the water).
Avocado pastas seem to be circulating the internet food world of late and for good reason. They are deliciously creamy without the dairy products – which is great if you are lactose intolerant, vegan, or just don’t feel like consuming a cup of cream with your dinner.
This recipe makes more cilantro pesto than you will need for the finished pasta. I like to use my leftover pesto as a topping for this curried carrot coconut soup.
I made a version of this recipe some time ago but was inspired to add some cilantro pesto to the sauce by Katie at The Muffin Myth. She wrote a helpful blog post a few weeks ago on how to use up your leftover herbs (I love her blog, especially the how-tos). I am fairly certain I waste at least a half of a bunch of cilantro every time I buy it (terrible, I know. Managing food waste is an ongoing project of mine). This time I was determined to use it up and this recipe did the trick.
I realize that this is not a traditional pesto. I did not have any cheese, I used almonds instead of pine nuts, and the ratio of nuts to cilantro is probably off as I had more nuts to use up than cilantro. But I just went with it and it was really good. I'm already planning to use the leftover pesto on a pizza later in the week (but if I don’t get around to that, I'll just freeze it).
If you're a pasta lover try one of these recipes for your next pasta night: shrimp scampi with spinach or marry me chicken pasta.
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Avocado Pasta with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients:
For the Pesto:
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 2 loosely packed cups cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- pinch of salt
For the Pasta:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 ounces spaghetti (I used Whole Wheat)
Instructions:
To make the pesto:
- (Optional) Roast almonds in a 350 degree oven for 8-15 minutes. Check frequently to avoid burning and remove from the oven when they begin to darken.
- Blend the almonds, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor until they form a fine crumb. Add the olive oil and blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the pesto aside*.
To make the pasta:
- Roast the cherry tomatoes in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and wrinkly and beginning to darken. Remove them from oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to instructions (approximately 8-10 minutes). Remove about 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and drain the pasta.
- Cut the avocado and remove the pit. Blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Mix in 1/3 cup of the pesto and set aside.
- Mix the pasta with the avocado pesto sauce, mixing in some of the reserved pasta water if necessary, and served topped with the roasted cherry tomatoes.
*This recipe makes more pesto than is needed for two servings of pasta. The remainder can be stored in the fridge or freezer for later use or used in another recipe like this Thai-inspired carrot soup.
