Description

A vibrant and creamy avocado pasta sauce recipe featuring fresh spinach, aromatic basil and mint, garlic, and lemon, combined into a smooth pesto that coats perfectly cooked pasta. Enhanced with sautéed shallots, peas, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, and peppery rocket salad, this dish offers a nutritious, flavorful, and satisfying meal ideal for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Avocado Pesto

75 g (2.5 oz) fresh spinach
1 medium avocado, stone removed, halved
10-12 fresh basil leaves
5-6 fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon salt

Pasta and Vegetables

300 g (10.5 oz) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
100 g (3.5 oz) fresh or frozen peas
75 g (2.5 oz) fresh spinach
100 g (3.5 oz) sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
20 g (¼ cup) pine nuts
A handful of rocket salad (arugula)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Prepare the Avocado Pesto: Add fresh spinach, avocado, basil and mint leaves, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt into a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta following package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
Sauté Shallot and Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Cook the finely chopped shallot for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add peas and spinach, cooking for another 3-4 minutes until spinach is wilted. Turn off heat.
Toss Pasta with Sauce: Transfer cooked pasta to the pan with vegetables. Stir in the prepared avocado pesto, adding reserved pasta water gradually to thin the sauce to your preferred consistency. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly.
Add Final Ingredients and Serve: Stir in sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, and rocket salad. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve topped with extra rocket salad if desired.

Notes

Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
Use ripe avocados for a creamier pesto.
Pine nuts can be lightly toasted beforehand for extra flavor.
Feel free to substitute rocket salad with baby spinach or other leafy greens if preferred.
This dish is best served immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors and creamy texture.