Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta

Hey Internet, I'm excited to bring you Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta today! This vegan pesto is my favorite that I've tasted, and thanks to the creamy avocado, it's oil-free!

You can also forget the expensive pine nuts, because I've substituted sunflower seeds here instead. I've also made this with hemp seeds and it was just as delicious.

This pesto is gluten-free, so serve it over gluten-free noodles if you'd like. It would also be great on potatoes, pizza, toast, etc.!

This delicious pasta is:

• Rich
• Creamy
• Tangy
• Savory
• Citrus-y
• Golden-y (totally a word in my book)
• A great way to hide veggies for kids or picky adults

Are you ready to make some avocado pesto pasta?

Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta Ingredients

Let's start off with what we already know we'll need: pasta, avocados and sunflower or hemp seeds (this will also work with cashews).

For pasta, I used bowties because the box was collecting dust in my pantry. I've also tried this recipe with chickpea pasta and whole wheat pasta and it's great! Just use 16 oz of whatever you'd like for this recipe.

You'll need 3 avocados for this recipe + another one if you want a fancy garnish.

We're going to sneak some fresh spinach in there which adds a ton of nutrients but you really can't tell! You could also experiment with: kale, parsley, cilantro, etc.

For a cheesy flavor, we're adding nutritional yeast. Garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, and salt also add a lot to the flavor so don't skimp on the herbs and spices!

For a little tang, I used lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (adds a little sweetness). You can just add a little more of either and cut out one of them if you'd like (i.e. use more lemon juice if you don't have apple cider vinegar and vice versa).

Finally, to make it blend well and for a little extra creaminess, I used nondairy milk. I happened to have almond on hand, but you can use any you'd like.

How to Make the Pesto

I don't think I need to explain pasta, right? :p Follow the directions on your pasta package.

To make the pesto, basically blend everything in your food processor or blender until well combined. You can pulse it until the spinach is chopped and it's just lightly mixed if you like things chunky, or blend it until creamy smooth, which is what I did here.

Simply mix the pesto through the pasta, top it with extra avocado if desired (I like to be a little fancy sometimes lol) and a sprinkle of additional nutritional yeast. To take the flavors to the next level, try adding a generous sprinkle of my vegan Parmesan on top!

Ways to mix it up:

• Add in other fresh veggies
• Top it with fresh tomatoes
• Use a different nut or seed like cashews or hemp seeds
• Add in a little maple syrup for sweetness
• Top it with sundried tomatoes
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice
• Add in some hot sauce or chipotle powder
• Use other greens instead of spinach (like cilantro or basil!)

Let me know how you mixed it up in the comments below. :)

As always, I hope you love this recipe!

Let me know in the comments below if you make it, tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

<3 LIZ

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