Smashed Avocado Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

A zesty, creamy pasta featuring mashed avocado, lime, and chili. Ready in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)

→ Avocado Mixture

03 - 2 ripe avocados
04 - 1 lime, juiced and zested
05 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
07 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (plus more for garnish)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh basil or cilantro leaves (optional)
10 - Grated Parmesan or vegan alternative (optional)
11 - Additional lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, halve and pit the avocados. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl and mash until mostly smooth.
03 - Add lime juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocado. Mix well to combine.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the avocado mixture while still warm. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until a creamy sauce forms.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, topped with fresh herbs, extra chili flakes, Parmesan, and lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together without any cooking, just mashing and mixing while your pasta boils, perfect for those nights when youre too exhausted to stand over a stove.
  • The contrast between the warm pasta and cool, creamy avocado creates this luxurious mouthfeel that makes you feel like youre indulging in something far more complicated than it actually is.
02 -
  • After forgetting to reserve pasta water once and ending up with a too-thick sauce, I now place a measuring cup directly in my colander as a physical reminder to save some before draining.
  • The timing between making the avocado mixture and serving is crucial – waiting too long causes the avocado to oxidize and lose its vibrant color, something I learned when I got distracted by a phone call and returned to a sad, brownish pasta.
03 -
  • When selecting avocados for this dish, buy them firm and let them ripen on your counter, as Ive found store-ripe ones are often bruised inside from other shoppers squeezing them.
  • The residual warmth from the pasta is essential for flavor melding, but if it sits too long, it can turn the avocado bitter – a delicate balance Ive mastered by having everything ready before draining the pasta.
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