I’ve come across avocado pasta in my internet food scouring several times over the past few years and I’ve always been tempted to make it, but I’ve also always been a bit weary of the idea. Something about the thought of a warm avocado sauce left an uneasy feeling in my stomach, although as a lover of baked avocados and of guacamole, I’m not so sure why.
My resistance took a turn last night on my walk through the the market to hunt for inspiration for my next $5 meal. I stopped on a pile of avocados and with one glance at the $1.30 price tag, decided that tonight was the night to try this recipe. Most of the ingredients I already had at home, so I grabbed a box of quinoa pasta and checked out, but not before noting the cost of everything else needed to prepare this meal. When I got home, I put the pasta on to boil and then tossed all of my sauce ingredients into the food processor and before I knew it, I had a healthy and rather unusually delicious dinner. It was creamy and tangy and light and- without the cheese I grated on top- even vegan friendly.
So, just what did this meal cost to make? Here’s the breakdown:
Quinoa Pasta: 1 box is $2.89 and I used half so, $1.45
Avocado (organic): $1.35
Basil (organic): $3.25 and I used 1/3 of this so, $1.08
Lemon (organic): $.99
Garlic: a head costs about $.74
Grand Total: If for the sake of argument, we include the cost of the entire head of garlic, the total costs come out to $4.53. If we consider it a staple, the grand total for this meal is $3.79.
Here’s the recipe that I followed from Oh She Glows…
Serves 2:
1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
2-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was quite garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (probably optional)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta
Freshly ground black pepper, to tasteDirections:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
Please note: This dish does not reheat well due to the avocado in the sauce. Please serve immediately.
I finally tried the quinoa pasta you bought me when you were in Miami. I’m a believer now! I topped it with chicken florentine. Quite good. The avocado sauce sounds divine.
yay! and yummmm!
I finally tried the quinoa pasta you bought me when you were in Miami. I’m a believer now! I topped it with chicken florentine. Quite good. The avocado sauce sounds divine.
So healthy!
So healthy!
Wonderful recipe! And very versatile. I made this for my family and added sautéed chicken, veggies (mushrooms, zuchinnis, and peppers) and a little parm (garnish). They loved it!
I also added jalapeño to the avocado sauce for a nice little kick!
I love that this recipe is great as is or can be customized! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it! Love the veggies, chicken and spice that you mixed into it!