Creamy Avocado Lime Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant pasta tossed in creamy avocado-lime sauce with bursts of sweet cherry tomatoes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Avocado-Lime Sauce

04 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
07 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
08 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
10 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 2 to 4 tbsp reserved pasta cooking water, as needed

→ Vegetables & Garnish

13 - 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
15 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
16 - Extra Parmesan, for serving (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and toss pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
02 - Combine avocados, minced garlic, fresh lime juice, basil leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese (if using), sea salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, gradually adding reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the avocado-lime sauce until evenly coated.
04 - Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes to the pasta mixture. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or lime juice as preferred.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 25 minutes, which means a real dinner on a weeknight without compromise.
  • The avocado-lime sauce is naturally creamy without any cream, making it feel indulgent but genuinely light.
  • Those cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness against the savory paste, and somehow it just works.
02 -
  • The avocado must be ripe but not brown inside; cut it open before blending to check, because nothing ruins this dish faster than bitter, oxidized avocado.
  • Don't skip the pasta water—it's what transforms a thick green paste into sauce that actually coats the noodles instead of sitting in clumps at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Lime juice oxidizes quickly, so squeeze it fresh and add it to the avocado almost immediately to keep the sauce from turning gray.
03 -
  • Toast your own pine nuts in a dry pan for just two or three minutes if you can—they taste infinitely better than pre-toasted ones and cost less.
  • Have your avocados ready to blend the moment you drain the pasta; timing is everything here because you want everything warm and fresh at the same moment.
  • If you're cooking for someone with dietary restrictions, this pasta is naturally vegan if you skip the Parmesan, naturally gluten-free if you use the right pasta, and easily adapted to whatever someone needs.

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