Best Vegan pasta with creamy avocado sauce recipe

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Vegan pasta with creamy avocado sauce and crunchy walnuts and peas – this rich flavorful green pasta is sooo good! Ready in just 15 minutes it’s a healthy vegan weeknight dinner that everyone loves. Best of all, the green pasta sauce is gluten-free, oil-free, dairy-free, protein-packed, and 100% vegan!

We’re talking garlicky vegan pasta and the creamiest, luscious green pasta sauce topped with fresh fragrant basil. Only a small amount of time, less than 15 minutes to be exact, and a few ingredients stand between you and a plate full of creamy, garlicky, flavor-bursting, romantic, and dangerously delicious pasta.

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Bouncy noodles wrapped in a blanket of silky rich pesto-flavored avocado sauce featuring garlic, fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and all the cozy goodness a pasta lover could dream of. And it’s so easy and quick to make.

First of all, can you ever go wrong with garlic, avocado, and creamy pasta sauce? Hint: no. It’s just a cheat code for great flavors and utterly irresistible deliciousness. It makes short ingredient lists everywhere very, very happy.

Secondly, it’s super quick to make and requires the bare minimum of effort and cooking skills. Just boil pasta in water, whizz up the sauce in a blender or food processor in minutes, mix together and you’re ready to serve a fragrant vegan pasta bowl of pure creamy goodness.

Why you are going to love this low-calorie 15-minute Italian creamy avocado pasta recipe

Incredibly easy to make – toss everything into a pan and leave it to cook. Make the avocado sauce in a blender in a matter of minutes. No fuss, no stirring, no effort required. Just pure vibrant cozy avocado pasta in less than 15 minutes.
Pasta for everyone – easy and utterly delicious pasta for everyone. It doesn’t get much easier to whip up a quick dinner for two or more than this avocado pasta.
Healthy pasta recipe – a low-calorie pasta packed with vitamin C
Vegan pasta – there’s no dairy, no eggs, and no cheese or cream in this plant-based pasta recipe. And it’s still loaded with a fresh creamy sauce and loads of flavor.
Can be gluten-free – make your own homemade gluten-free pasta using my easy gluten-free pasta recipe, or use rice pasta or lentil pasta for an easy gluten-free pasta option.

In this easy vegan avocado pasta recipe article we’re covering

Chefs tips and tricks for making the best creamy avocado pasta
Ingredients for making vegan avocado spaghetti sauce
How to make pasta with avocado sauce
Vegan sides to serve with pasta
FAQs

Chefs tips and tricks for making the best green avocado pasta sauce with the best creamy consistency and tons of flavor

Ripe avocados

Use ripe avocados for the best creamy rich pasta sauce. The avocados are naturally rich in oils and make the most amazing creamy luxe sauce. Using unripe avocados will make the sauce more grainy and far less creamy and rich.

Tip: Because avocados oxidize quickly after you slice them, this sauce is best made and served immediately.

How to know when avocados are ripe

Gently press on the avocado with your fingers. If the avocado yields to firm gentle pressure you know it’s ripe and ready to eat. Ripe, ready-to-eat avocados can have a darker color but color can vary depending on the type of avocados so it is best to go by feel when you’re picking out your avocados. The avocados should feel lightly soft but they should never feel “mushy” to the touch. A mushy feeling means the avocado is overripe and starting to go brown on the inside.

Top tip: You can remove the little knob on the tip of the avocado and peel at the color. If it’s green or dark green and the avocados are slightly soft when pressed they’re perfect! If the avocados are brown when you remove the knob they are overripe.

Best way to prevent avocados from oxidizing and turning brown

My favorite technique is to squeeze a bit of fresh lemon or lime juice on the cut side of an avocado. The acidity of the juice will prevent the polyphenol oxidase from turning the avocado brown. Another option is to brush the avocado flesh with olive oil.

How to make the vegan avocado pasta sauce taste cheesy

To make the avocado pasta sauce deliciously cheesy simply add 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the pasta right after draining the water. Stir to combine and give the pasta a minute to let the warmth dissolve the nutritional yeast before adding the avocado sauce and mixing everything. It’s so good, so cheesy and no one will believe that cheese taste is vegan. Plus, the nutritional yeast also adds extra nutrients. It’s a win-win.

Variations and extras to jazz up creamy vegan pasta sauce – even on a busy weeknight

This beast avocado pasta sauce is already loaded with rich creamy flavors and is amazing served as is…but you can also add extra toppings for a luxe weekend meal that’s also ideal served for guests.

Oven-roasted cherry tomatoes or Chopped sun-dried tomatoes + lemon zest or lemon juice
My crunchy roasted chickpeas and fresh arugula
Caramelized green onions, red pepper flakes and baby spinach
Or add a handful of fresh spinach leaves or other leafy greens, a tablespoon avocado oil and a topping of pine nuts

Ingredients for making vegan linguine with creamy avocado pasta sauce

Pasta – I always make this easy pasta with linguine or spaghetti noodles cooked al dente, but any type of pasta should work well. Pasta penne and butterfly pasta are also among my favorites because they scoop up the sauce so well. You can also use gluten-free pasta (see my easy gluten-free pasta recipe here) or use rice pasta or lentil pasta if you’re in a hurry.

Avocados – Use ripe avocados for the best creamy rich pasta sauce. The avocados are naturally rich in heart-healthy fats, oils and make the most amazing creamy luxe sauce. Using unripe avocados will make the sauce more grainy and far less creamy and rich.

Tip: Because avocados oxidize quickly after you slice them, this sauce is best made and served immediately.

Peas – I like to use frozen peas for this easy pasta recipe, but fresh peas work just as well. They add a bit of crunch and a pop of color and work as our plant-based protein. In the last two minutes of cooking the pasta, add the peas and green beans to the pasta water. They cook along with the pasta making it a completely easy hands-off cooking process.

Green beans – green beans add fiber and extra nutrients to the pasta. If you don’t have green beans you can simply leave them out of the recipe or substitute them with another topping. (See my variations suggestions for inspiration)

Basil – it wouldn’t really be a cozy bowl of fresh pasta without a load of fresh basil leaves in the pasta sauce and a generous garnish of basil. The fresh basil adds a fragrant hint of Italy that takes the pasta to the next level. It also turns the sauce into a silky vegan avocado sauce infused with pesto-like flavors. Yum!

Don’t have fresh basil? You can substitute it with fresh parsley or a drizzle of oregano.

Seasonings to flavor the sauce

Garlic – the garlic cloves infuses the pasta sauce with fragrant hints of the Mediterranean. As the garlic mingles with the lemon and avocado they enhance each other’s flavor and make the pasta sauce vibrant, creamy, and fresh. You can use minced garlic or grate the garlic for an extra fine texture…or you can finely chop the garlic if you prefer. All methods work well to make this creamy low-calorie pasta sauce.

Don’t have garlic? No need to worry. You can substitute fresh garlic with 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder or 1 teaspoon of dried granulated garlic.

Lemon Juice – we’re using the lemon zest and lemon juice from two lemons to make this pasta fresh, light, and zingy. The lemon creates a vibrant fresh sauce without being too overpowering.

Seasoning – we’re using only the bare minimum of seasoning in this vegan avocado pasta recipe. Freshly ground black pepper gives depth and a little bite of heat to the pasta, the oregano adds a hint of the Mediterranean, while the salt or sea salt rounds out the flavors. You will be amazed at how much flavor these three simple spices add to the creamy avocado pesto pasta sauce.

How to make simple plant-based avocado pasta with the ultimate rich avocado cream sauce

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. For a lighter option, serve the avocado sauce with zucchini noodles. In the last two minutes of cooking, add the peas and green beans to the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss it with the avocado sauce.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a food processor, combine the garlic and basil and pulse to mince. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times in between pulses. Add the lemon juice, a little water, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and the avocado meat and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.

If the pasta sauce is too thick add a tablespoon more water.

Drain almost all the water from the pasta and peas and leave them in the pot. Pour the avocado sauce into the pasta pot and toss or stir to combine. Reheat quickly if needed (only reheat if the pasta has started to cool).

Taste test and add a little more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with a generous garnish of chopped basil and roasted chopped walnuts.

Enjoy.

How to make spaghetti with vegan avocado pesto pasta sauce gluten-free

You can make the delicious gluten-free avocado sauce and pasta very easily. Simply substitute regular pasta with gluten-free pasta. Most grocery stores will have good gluten-free pasta options available (rice spaghetti noodles, lentil pasta, etc) but you can also make your own homemade gluten-free pasta (see my step-by-step gluten-free pasta recipe guide here).

What to serve with pasta

Top 3 Salads to serve with pasta

Frequently asked questions about spaghetti with golden crispy breadcrumbs

How to store leftover spaghetti and pasta?

You can store pasta and leftover sauce in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Easy way to reheat pasta

There are two main ways to reheat pasta dishes:
The saucepan way: Reheat the pasta with a small amount of water in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat until hot, while stirring often.
The microwave way: Place the pasta in a microwave-safe container and reheat at high temperature for 1 minute. Stir the pasta then reheat one more minute. Stir, and continue heating in intervals until the pasta is hot.

How to make this pasta nut-free

Simply leave out the chopped walnuts as a topping or replace them with roasted crunchy sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds. Alternatively, you can top the pasta with breadcrumbs or pangritata (see my pangritata recipe here)

Can I add plant-based protein to this pasta?

There’s already some protein in this vegan dinner thanks to the peas. You can add extra plant-based protein in several tasty ways. Use a silken tofu and add it to the sauce as it blends to make the sauce very thick and creamy.
Other options to add plant-based protein to pasta:
– Add roasted chickpeas
– Top with fried tempeh slices
– Roasted beans (black beans, kidney beans, etc)
– Blend cannellini beans with the sauce

How can I make gluten-free pasta?

You can get delicious gluten-free pasta at most well-stocked grocery stores…from rice pasta to spaghetti noodles made with lentils or cornmeal there are a lot of tasty GF options available. You can also use zucchini noodles for a lighter low-calorie option. But if you want to try the KING or QUEEN of gluten-free pasta you can use my easy gluten-free pasta recipe and make the best homemade vegan and GF pasta ever.

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