Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)

What makes this sauce unforgettable? The ripe avocados create an ultra smooth texture, while garlic, lemon, and herbs add layers of flavor. Drizzle it over spaghetti, toss it with penne, or use it as a veggie dip. It’ll elevate every dish it touches!

Best of all, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Prefer a more herb-forward version? Add extra basil or cilantro. Want a touch of heat? Blend in a jalapeño. 

With just a handful of wholesome ingredients and no cooking required, it’s the fastest way to upgrade weeknight meals, snacks, or party appetizers. It’s ready to use as your go-to pasta or taco sauce, a dip for tortilla chips, a condiment for grilled meats, and so much more. 

Once you try it, you’ll want to keep a batch in your fridge at all times!

Ingredient notes

• Pasta – I’ve used spaghetti for this dish, but you can use whatever pasta you love the most. 
• Avocados – This provides the rich and creamy base for the sauce, together with the olive oil. I’ve used ripe whole avocados, but you could use frozen and thawed avocado. When using whole avocados, look for those that are ripe and slightly give when you press them. 
• Basil leaves – Fresh basil will always taste the best in this pasta sauce, but you could also experiment with one of these substitutes for basil. I have a great tip on how to freeze basil if you have extra. 
• Lemon juice – The acidity in freshly squeezed lemon juice helps balance the richness of the creamy avocado and oil. You could also add some lemon zest to the mix for a tangy, citrusy infusion. Lime juice could be used instead. 
• Garlic – Fresh cloves are best for depth of flavor. Add them whole and peeled to the food processor with the rest of the pasta sauce ingredients. 
• Kosher salt – Used to salt the pasta water and to season the pasta sauce mixture. Once the sauce is made, taste it and add more if needed. 
• Olive oil – Use high-quality olive oil that you like the flavor of. The oil emulsifies the pasta sauce, giving it a silky and cohesive consistency. 
• For serving – Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the saucy pasta with halved cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and avocado slices.  

How to make it

Step 1

Cook the pasta

• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package directions. 
• Drain the pasta well and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. 

Step 2

Make the avocado sauce

• Combine the avocados, basil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in the bowl of a food processor. 
• With the motor running, gradually stream in the olive oil until emulsified. 
• Taste the sauce and season with additional salt, if needed. 

Step 3

Assemble and garnish

• Toss the cooked pasta with the avocado sauce, adding some of the pasta cooking liquid to loosen the sauce, as needed.
• Top your pasta with an assortment of your desired garnishes and serve immediately. 

Ways To turn plain pasta into gourmet meals

Transform simple pasta into elevated meals with homemade sauces, like this creamy avocado sauce. It’ll free up room in your budget for more wine and more time with your dinner guests.

• Garlic and Oil Pasta: A classic Italian dish that proves simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. With just garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, and pasta, this 20-minute recipe delivers bold, comforting flavors. The perfect base for an array of pasta sauces!
• Easy Lemon Pasta: Bright, creamy, and irresistibly zesty, this lemon pasta is ready in just 15 minutes! Ready to be enjoyed as is or paired with your favorite homemade pasta sauce.  

Tips and tricks

• Always taste the avocado pasta sauce after processing the ingredients together. You may find that you want to adjust the flavor by adding a kick of heat with a touch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, more lemon juice to balance the richness, or mix in additional salt. 
• Adjust the consistency of the sauce to your liking. Stir in more pasta water for a thinner sauce without diluting any flavor. Likewise, mix in more mashed avocado or mix in some plain Greek yogurt for a thicker sauce. 
• Don’t forget to reserve pasta water as you may need to use it to loosen the avocado sauce when combining it with the cooked pasta. The pasta water is flavorful and won’t dilute the flavor of the sauce like plain water would.  
• Make a double batch of avocado pasta sauce and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Stir leftover avocado sauce with additional liquid (if needed) as it will naturally thicken in the fridge and the ingredients may also separate. 
• Use frozen avocado chunks to make this sauce. It’s often cheaper when bought in bulk and will work well in this recipe once thawed.
• Freeze excess basil. If you have more basil in the kitchen than you can make avocado pasta sauce with, check out my guide on how to freeze basil to preserve it for months.
• Instead of fresh garlic, use roasted garlic for a mellow savory flavor.
• Cook your pasta just short of al dente. I like to cook my pasta for about a minute less than the package directions call for. The pasta will continue to cook as it’s tossed with the avocado pasta sauce, and we don’t want it becoming mushy. I cooked my spaghetti for about 8 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Meet your new condiment staple: this luxuriously creamy avocado sauce. Versatile enough to be enjoyed as a dip, dressing, spread, or pasta topper – its vibrant flavor and velvety texture will elevate everything it touches. Here are my favorite ways to use it:

• Breakfast Sandwiches and Chicken Sandwiches
• Vegetable Sticks
• Juicy Hamburgers
• Caesar or Greek salad
• Baked Tofu
• Spicy Shrimp Sushi Bowl
• Easy Sides for Spaghetti

Storing

While this creamy avocado sauce is best enjoyed fresh, it will keep well in the fridge for up to three days, retaining its vibrant color and bright flavor thanks to the lime juice and vinegar, which help slow oxidation. 

To minimize browning, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing it in an airtight container, eliminating as much air as possible. This extra step helps preserve that lush green hue a little longer.

When ready to serve, give the sauce a good stir. If it’s thickened in the fridge, a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of lemon juice will bring back its silky texture. 

Unfortunately, freezing isn’t recommended, as the thawing process can compromise the sauce’s creaminess.

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