Put a healthful California twist on a traditional Italian favorite and you’ve got Avocado Pesto Pasta. Adding avocados to pesto creates a rich and creamy texture without using cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine
- 1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Procedure
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Toss pasta with pesto. For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.