Try this Creamy Avocado and Gouda Cheese Pasta recipe.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta
- 2 medium size ripe avocado's pitted and removed from skins
- 1/2 cup milk or plain almond milk (i used skim milk)
- 3/4 cup mediterranean gouda or gouda cheese finely shredded or grated
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- crushed red pepper flakes for serving (optional)
- Carbohydrate 66.7614435284441 g
- Cholesterol 82.780607525 mg
- Fat 22.0142611438997 g
- Fiber 1.1411000142308 g
- Protein 16.8917392651015 g
- Saturated Fat 1.763011244575 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -6 (152g)
- Sodium 48.8478972797356 mg
- Sugar 65.6203435142133 g
- Trans Fat 3.88111802462672 g
- Calories 521 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve a large coffee cup of the pasta water before draining. (Note that the pasta does not continue to cook in the sauce, so cook until desired doneness)
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the avocado, garlic and lemon juice into a food processor. Process until smooth. Make sure there are no longer any chunks of avocado, and then add the milk and process again until smooth. Add in the basil, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy and you no longer see any cheese shreds. You want the sauce to be as smooth as possible.
- When pasta is done cooking (don't forget to reserve some of the cooking water), drain in a strainer and place the pasta into a large serving bowl. Pour on the sauce, add toasted pine nuts and toss until fully combined. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce a bit. Garnish with fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Ingredient lists rarely reveal the structural mechanics behind a dish. Raw garlic can easily overwhelm raw pureed sauces, so grating the clove before adding it to the food processor distributes the volatile oils evenly rather than leaving sharp pockets of allium flavor. Avocados oxidize rapidly when exposed to oxygen, meaning this sauce requires immediate assembly or a tight plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to maintain its vibrant green hue for up to two hours.
Testing pasta doneness relies entirely on physical inspection rather than guesswork. Bite a strand at the eight-minute mark to check for an opaque white core that signals undercooking. Continue boiling until the interior starch turns translucent and yields entirely to the tooth while retaining a firm bite. Reserve at least one cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining because concentrated starches bind the fat molecules from the cheese and avocado into a glossy emulsion.
Gouda brings distinct melting properties and a buttery profile that elevates the dish beyond standard weeknight fare. Fine grating is mandatory for hard cheeses because large shreds resist smooth incorporation in unheated emulsions. Standard cow milk functions reliably here, but unsweetened almond milk offers a neutral plant-based alternative at a one-to-one ratio without altering the final viscosity.
Pine nuts require active attention during toasting to prevent scorching. Place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for precisely three minutes, shaking the pan continuously until golden brown spots appear and aromatic oils release. Combine the hot pasta and sauce immediately after draining to ensure residual heat activates the cheese proteins without requiring extra stovetop cooking.
