Avocado Pasta with Cilantro, Lime and Chili – Quick No-Cook Sauce

Name: Avocado Pasta with Cilantro, Lime and Chili – Quick No-Cook Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian cuisine
Ingredients: Spaghetti 200 g; Ripe avocado 1; Garlic 1-2 cloves; Chili pepper to taste; Cilantro 0.5 bunch; Olive oil as needed; Salt, black pepper to taste

Somewhat unexpectedly, my family really loved this Italian-style avocado pasta – the sauce is made from the avocado flesh with garlic, chili, lime juice and olive oil. It is very tasty, a bit like guacamole, only spicier. The dish comes together very quickly because the sauce needs no cooking. By the time the spaghetti is done, the sauce is ready too – all that's left is to toss them together and serve.

The fruit must be ripe, with flesh that is soft and creamy. Unripe avocados are very hard to puree, and the sauce won't come out smooth. Brown Hass avocados are ideal – they are almost always sold already ripe.

Ripe avocados are easy to find; there is nearly always a choice. The fruit should have no dents or damage to the skin. When you press it very lightly, it should give a little, but not too much. If it feels hard under the skin, the avocado is unripe and can't be used right away. That said, if you have time, you can leave it on a windowsill, out of direct sun, for a few days. I once read that it ripens faster in a bag with apples.

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Ingredients

2 servings

Spaghetti 200 g
Ripe avocado 1
Garlic 1-2 cloves
Chili pepper to taste
Cilantro 0.5 bunch
Olive oil as needed
Salt, black pepper to taste

Step-by-step recipe

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It's worth saying that avocado pasta is a fairly rich dish. Even a small portion for breakfast will keep you full until lunch. Prepare the garlic – ideally young garlic – and as much fresh chili as you like; I like a lot. Cilantro is a welcome addition too – only the leaves are used. Lime is a must – its aroma is not as strong as lemon's. Besides, its juice keeps the avocado from turning brown.
Put a large pot of water on the heat and salt it. When the water boils, add the pasta. I always use spaghetti – it pairs best with such a thick sauce and holds it perfectly. Cook the pasta for the time stated on the package. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the cilantro leaves, garlic and seeded chili into a bowl – it's convenient for chopping the ingredients with a hand blender.
Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. The flesh darkens quickly in the air. To give the avocado pasta a nice light green color, drizzle the flesh with lime juice right away and stir – the juice of half a lime is enough, add the rest to taste. By the way, set aside a few avocado slices to garnish the dish when serving.
A hand blender is a really handy kitchen tool. It easily whips or chops small amounts of food. Add the avocado to the cilantro, season lightly with salt and black pepper. Blend all the ingredients thoroughly into a fairly thick, smooth paste. Keep blending the avocado sauce, adding olive oil 1 tbsp at a time. Usually 2–3 tbsp of olive oil is enough for one avocado. Add more lime juice to taste.
By now the pasta is ready. Drain it in a colander. As soon as the water has drained, transfer the spaghetti to a mixing bowl. Add the avocado sauce. Quickly toss the pasta with the sauce so it is evenly distributed. The sauce clings beautifully to the spaghetti, coloring it light green. Transfer the avocado pasta to serving plates.
Serve the spaghetti right away, while it's still hot. If you like, sprinkle the dish with a little Parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper – it will be even tastier. Add a few avocado slices and a sprig of cilantro to the plate.
By the way, you can also make the avocado sauce like pesto, replacing the basil with avocado flesh. The sauce will be different but just as delicious. You can use pine nuts or ordinary walnuts in it.

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Recipe facts

Yield:	2 servings
Calories:	300 kcal per 100 g
Prep time:	10 mins
Cook time:	20 mins
Total time:	30 mins
Category:	Main Dishes › Pasta Recipes
Cuisine:	Italian cuisine
Rating:	4.7 (10)