Veggie Smuggler Avocado Pasta (Printable version)

Creamy avocado sauce with hidden zucchini, spinach, and broccoli coats tender pasta for a quick, healthy dinner everyone will love.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz whole wheat or regular spaghetti or linguine

→ Avocado Sauce

02 - 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
03 - 1 small zucchini, roughly chopped
04 - 1 cup baby spinach
05 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
06 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
07 - 2 cloves garlic
08 - 1/4 cup olive oil
09 - 3-4 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk or dairy milk
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Hidden Veggies

11 - 1 cup broccoli florets, steamed
12 - 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Garnish

13 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative
14 - Chopped fresh basil (optional)
15 - Lemon zest (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, steam the broccoli florets until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocados, zucchini, spinach, basil, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and 3 tbsp milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more milk if needed for a silky sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the hot drained pasta with the avocado sauce, broccoli, and peas. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta well. Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan cheese, extra basil, and a sprinkle of lemon zest if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is impossibly creamy without any dairy, making it lighter than traditional cream-based pasta
  • You can literally empty your vegetable drawer into the blender and nobody will complain
  • From boiling water to serving, this hits the table in under 30 minutes on busy weeknights
02 -
  • The sauce oxidizes and turns brownish if left standing too long, so make it right before serving and toss immediately with hot pasta
  • Adding cold sauce to hot pasta can sometimes make the avocado taste slightly bitter, so let the sauce sit at room temperature while pasta cooks
  • Reserved pasta water is absolutely essential—the starch helps the sauce cling to every strand of pasta
03 -
  • A high-speed blender makes the sauce noticeably silkier, but a regular blender works with a bit more patience
  • If the sauce tastes too rich, a splash more lemon juice brightens everything beautifully

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