Try this Avocado Pasta Recipe.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 3.37500000144734 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0.466020000199849 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (9g)
- Sodium 155.099500000029 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0.0913950000391945 g
- Calories 30 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook your pasta according to the package.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the avocado, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil to a blender and blend well.
- When the pasta is cooked, save 2 tablespoons of pasta water and drain well.
- Toss the pasta with the avocado sauce, thinning with pasta water if needed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with a fried egg and cilantro, if desired.
- Enjoy!
The Danger of Heat
Most home cooks ruin avocado-based sauces by exposing the purée to direct, high heat from a boiling pan. When raw avocado encounters temperatures exceeding 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the enzyme polyphenol oxidase accelerates oxidation rapidly, turning bright green flesh into a dull, grey-brown sludge while breaking down delicate monounsaturated fats into bitter compounds. To prevent this chemical degradation, always blend the avocado at room temperature with the garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil, and remove the pasta entirely from the burner before combining the elements.
Emulsification via Starchy Water
Creating a cohesive sauce without heavy cream requires harnessing the suspended starches left behind in boiling water. As pasta cooks, amylose molecules leach out into the surrounding liquid, transforming ordinary water into an effective binding agent that bridges the gap between oil-based fats and water-based juices. Reserve at least two tablespoons of this murky cooking liquid before draining the noodles completely, whisking it gradually into the blended avocado mixture until the fat droplets disperse evenly into a glossy, clinging coating.
Adapting Proportions for Larger Batches
Scaling this single-portion recipe upward requires careful adherence to surface area ratios rather than strict linear multiplication. Doubling or tripling the quantity of avocado in a standard blender often creates dead zones where the blades fail to make contact with the fruit, leading to uneven chunks; instead, process the ingredients in batches or use a narrow immersion blender container to ensure complete mechanical shear. When scaling for four or more servings, retain one-quarter cup of pasta water per half-avocado used to maintain the necessary hydration level for proper emulsion.
