You’ve heard of avocado toast, but I guarantee you’ve never seen avocado like this before… my Creamy Avocado Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes is the most delicious, creamy, dairy-free pasta that will absolutely blow your mind. And if you’re thinking, “Nicole, avocado in pasta?!” then I’m here to tell you that avocado and pasta goes together just as well as avocado and toast. Don’t believe me? Just try it. You’ll thank me later!
From dairy-free butter to now avocado, there are so many ways to make a pasta creamy, sans dairy. While I’m not personally dairy-free, my stomach is definitely sensitive to dairy, so when possible, I try to avoid it. This used to make eating pasta and other traditionally-dairy-heavy dishes hard, but not anymore. Recipes like this one have re-ignited my love for pasta!
And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good avocado?! It’s creamy, it’s versatile, and it’s full of healthy fats. In this recipe, you can think of it as a unique twist on a pesto. So, if you love pesto, you’ll likely love this pasta, too.
What You Need to Make this Creamy Avocado Pasta
This recipe is super simple, and consists mostly of pantry staples. Chances are, you may already have many of these ingredients hiding in your pantry! It makes for a super simple and easy dish that you can whip up on those nights where you just don’t know what to make for dinner.
- Spaghetti: Spaghetti, or any long, thin pasta like Angel hair works great in this recipe!
- Avocados: Of course, how could we make a creamy avocado pasta without avocados?
- Shallot: Shallots are one of my favorite staple ingredients, because they add the perfect balance of aromatics.
- Cilantro: Cilantro is full of vitamins and minerals, and adds a nice depth to the flavor of this sauce.
- Garlic: Garlic is essential for both the sauce and the roasted tomatoes. Don’t skip it!
- Lemon: A little lemon juice keeps this sauce from becoming too rich.
- Maple Syrup: Maple Syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness without making this recipe overly-sweet.
- Dairy-Free Cream Cheese: This is going to help make our avocado sauce creamy! You can also opt to use a regular cream cheese here, if preferred.
- Salt and Pepper: What would any pasta recipe be without a little salt and pepper?!
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: I love topping my pasta with a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to add a kick to it, but you can skip it if you don’t like the spice.
- Tomatoes: The roasted tomatoes really tie this recipe together, and are 100% worth the extra steps!
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is my favorite oil to use in pasta because it tastes amazing and it’s such a great heart-healthy oil.
How to Make this Creamy Avocado Pasta
Making this pasta consists of three parts: 1. Making the pasta 2. Making the sauce 3. Roasting the tomatoes. It may sound like a lot, but it’s quicker and easier than you would think!
- We’ll start by roasting the tomatoes. Preheat your oven to 400F.
- In an 8×8 baking dish, add the tomatoes, mashed garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until the tomatoes are well-coated. Then, bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until blistered.
- While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions, until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, and reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta water for later. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the sauce. In a blender or food processor, add the avocados, shallot, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, cream cheese, salt, and red pepper. Blend/process until very smooth and there are no chunks. Taste and add more salt/pepper as needed.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta, and add pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce, if necessary. Coat pasta well.
- Add the roasted tomatoes and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Making it Gluten-Free and Vegan-Friendly
If you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy, then you’ll love this recipe, because it’s super easy to make it gluten-free and/or vegan.
To make it gluten-free: Simply swap out the pasta for a gluten-free pasta. I like using chickpea or lentil pasta to add in some protein, but rice pasta also works great here!
To make it vegan-friendly: Make sure you use a dairy-free cream cheese! The Kite Hill brand is a great one.
Storing Instructions
This pasta is best when eaten the same day, so if you are going to prep it, I recommend preparing the sauce ahead of time and adding fresh pasta noodles, as needed. Simply store the sauce in an airtight container or mason jar for up to one week.
Other Pasta Recipes to Enjoy
If you like this recipe, here are some others that you’ll enjoy, as well! Many of these can also be made gluten-free and vegan if needed, so I especially recommend checking these out if you’re sensitive to either of those.
Creamy Lemon Arugula Hummus Pasta
Restaurant-Style Creamy Red Pepper Pasta
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating below. That really helps other decide whether to make this recipe and helps my recipe show up in Google searches – it means a lot! And, if you are on Instagram, tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories! xx
Ingredients
For the Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, (or the small vine ripened tomatoes)
- 4 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
For the Avocado Pasta
- 1 Package Spaghetti Pasta, (12 – 14 ounces)
- 3 Large Avocados, ripe
- 1 Large Shallot, diced
- ¾ Cup Cilantro
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- ½ Cup Dairy-Free Cream Cheese, can also substitute regular cream cheese
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, plus more for garnishing, if desired.
Instructions
- Start by roasting the tomatoes. Preheat your oven to 400F.
- In an 8×8 baking dish, add the tomatoes, mashed garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until the tomatoes are well-coated. Then, bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until blistered.
- While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions, until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, and reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta water for later. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the sauce. In a blender or food processor, add the avocados, shallot, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, cream cheese, salt, and red pepper. Blend/process until very smooth and there are no chunks. Taste and add more salt/pepper as needed.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta, and add pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce, if necessary. Coat pasta well.
- Add the roasted tomatoes and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Love this recipe!
So happy to hear that! Thank you Mary!
Great mix of flavors and easy to make. I added sautéed chicken.
That sounds like a delicious addition, Sherry! So glad you liked it!
I loved this recipe! I had frozen avocados and tomatoes at home and that was about it. ;-). This was the recipe that appealed to me most, something different!
It’s kind of rich (well, it’s avocados) but so creamy and yummy! Will definitely save and recommend!
Love it Chantal!