Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta

02 - 1 teaspoon salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

04 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

05 - 2 cloves garlic

06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

09 - 1/4 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant-based

10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

13 - Fresh basil leaves

14 - Cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain in a colander.

02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.

03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the avocado pesto sauce and toss gently to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce as needed.

04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper.

# Expert tips:

01 -

Creamy without any heavy cream, the avocado creates this impossibly velvety texture that feels luxurious but wont weigh you down
Ready in thirty minutes flat, making it perfect for those evenings when takeout sounds tempting but you want something real

02 -

The sauce will darken slightly as it sits, but a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving helps maintain that gorgeous green color
Don't skip reserving that pasta water, it's the secret weapon for turning too-thick sauce into something perfectly coat-able

03 -