Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Printable)

Vibrant fusion mac and cheese with luscious avocado and basil pesto sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, vegetarian, and easy.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain in a colander.
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 as 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 achieve desired sauce consistency.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this impossibly creamy texture without any heavy cream, so you feel indulged but not weighed down afterward
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something special but absolutely cannot deal with elaborate cooking
02 -
  • The sauce will darken slightly over time even with lemon juice, so serve it right after tossing for that brilliant restaurant quality green color
  • If you are making this ahead, blend the sauce separately and keep it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to minimize oxidation
03 -
  • Room temperature avocados blend more smoothly than cold ones straight from the fridge, so let them sit out for 20 minutes before starting
  • If your sauce seems too thick, add the pasta water one tablespoon at a time rather than all at once to avoid accidentally making it watery
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