Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Print View)

Vibrant mac and cheese with luscious avocado basil pesto. Creamy, flavorful, and ready in just 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant-based
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the avocado pesto sauce and toss gently to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
  • The avocado makes the sauce so creamy you forget theres no heavy cream involved.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well if you add a splash of milk to revive the sauce.
  • It sneaks in greens and healthy fats without anyone noticing theyre eating something good for them.
02 -
  • The sauce will darken if it sits too long, so make it right before you plan to eat or squeeze extra lemon juice over leftovers to keep it bright.
  • Dont skip the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling instead of sliding off into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
  • If your avocados are too firm, the sauce will be grainy and bitter, so wait until theyre perfectly ripe or this wont taste right.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to, a truly smooth pesto makes all the difference in how it coats the pasta.
  • Serve this immediately after tossing, avocado sauce is best when its freshly made and still warm from the pasta.
  • If youre serving this to kids, blend in a handful of frozen peas with the sauce for extra veggies they wont even notice.
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