Avocado is one of those ingredients I can’t imagine any vegan not being head over heels in love with. I’m in love with avocado, and I have the choice to crush on salami. Still pick avo any day. I use it to make ice cream, I eat it as is, and here I’ve used it in a scrumptious pasta sauce. It’s as creamy as any cream based sauce, but fresh in flavor; perfect for summer.
I’ve also added a handful of Aegina pistachios. Not just because I like promoting the product of my hometown, but because avos and pistachios compliment each other not just in color but flavor wise. Bringing out the flavor of these favorite nuts of mine can be tricky, but the avocado actually helps. The final result is nutty and fresh and brings to mind the taste of the pistachios when they are fresh off the tree.
“Aeginitian” Avocado Pasta
Serves 4
A creamy yet summery pasta dish which just happens to be vegan.
Total Time 15 min
Ingredients
- 500 g spaghetti
- 1/4 cup Aegina pistachios, peeled
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 avocados
- 2 handfuls fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- about 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Add the pistachios and the garlic to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the basil and a bit of the olive oil and pulse until almost smooth.
- Add the avocado and lemon juice and pulse until combined. You may need to scrape down the sides.
- With the food processor running on low, slowly pour in olive oil until you have a consistency you like.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss the hot pasta with the sauce and serve, garnished with a basil leaf.
Notes
- Tip: In the pictures above, I served the pasta with some fried vegetable patties. It is also nice to top it with some cherry tomatoes, or sun-dried tomatoes.