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I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of avocados. I usually have to hide them in recipes like chocolate pudding or guacamole.
You’ll never catch me eating one plain.
That’s why I’m so excited about this avocado pesto. It’s a delicious way to enjoy a ripe avocado, without an overwhelming avocado flavor. Use as pasta sauce, a dip for veggies, or a flavorful spread on sandwiches and wraps.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Super delicious recipe! I love getting so much flavor without all of the extra calories nuts and oil add from other recipes.” -Kris
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Avocado. You’ll want to use a ripe avocado for this recipe, one that is free from brown spots or bruises. It’s best to buy these firm from the store and let it ripen on your counter for a few days, so it won’t get overhandled.
- Fresh Basil. This is key to a delicious pesto sauce, so avoid using dried basil as a substitute. However, you can use other fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantro, if you’d like to try a variation.
- Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens up the flavor and hides the avocado taste at the same time.
- Garlic. I like to use two medium-sized garlic cloves for a punch of flavor, but if you’re not a garlic fan, you can reduce this to one.
- Salt. This is essential for the flavor. I’ve included a minimum amount to start with, but you can always add more if you think the pesto is bland.
If you don’t need a dairy-free or vegan recipe, this pesto tastes even more authentic with the addition of Parmesan cheese. I’ve included it in the recipe below for you to try!
How to Make Avocado Pesto
Step 1:
In a high-speed blender, add the avocado, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and water. Secure the lid and blend until the mixture is smooth.
Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Step 2:
Taste the pesto sauce and make any necessary adjustments. For a cheesy pesto sauce, add the optional Parmesan cheese and blend again.
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If you skip the cheese, you may want to season the pesto with a little extra salt or a dash of nutritional yeast.
As soon as you’re happy with the flavor, it’s ready to use.
Serving Suggestions
Use it as a pasta sauce. Serve this creamy pesto over your favorite freshly cooked pasta. It pairs particularly well with sautéed cherry tomatoes and red onion.
Spread it on sandwiches. My favorite vegetarian sandwich is made with a generous spread of pesto sauce, sliced roasted red peppers and tomatoes, and soft goat cheese.
Serve it as a dip. Pour the pesto into a serving bowl and serve with sliced carrots, red bell peppers, and cucumbers. It can also be part of a charcuterie platter with various cheeses and crackers.
Add it to pizza. Pesto makes a more flavorful pizza than regular marinara sauce.
Storage Tips
Leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It may separate when chilled, so stir it well before serving again.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil , tightly packed
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 large ripe avocado (about 7 ounces with peel & pit)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt , plus more to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Add the basil, water, lemon juice, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Secure the lid and process until the mixture looks relatively smooth.
- Next, add the avocado flesh, salt, and Parmesan cheese (if using) and blend again until smooth and creamy. Taste the sauce and add extra salt, if desired. I usually add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt, but that can vary based on the size and flavor of the avocado each time.
- Spoon the avocado pesto sauce over freshly cooked pasta and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours without browning too much, as long as you use the tips in the full post. (See the post above for tips on freezing, too.)
Notes
Update Note: This recipe was updated in February 2024 to add the optional Parmesan cheese. If you prefer the original version, simply omit it!
Nutrition
More Avocado Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Avocado Smoothie
- Cherry Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Avocado Chocolate Pudding
- Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
You’re very creative. You even mix the avocado in the noodles. 🙂 Very greeny colorful 🙂
Granted I took the recipe a little loosely (as I tend to do) and didnt so much measure well…anything lol but this stuff is AMAZING! Due to auto-immune disease I have numerous adult onset allergies including nuts. I hadnt had pesto in over 7 years so this was such a treat for me :).
I ended up having to add some olive oil to get to it to blend propperly but it came out perfectly. Had it for dinner tonight on a GF vegan wrap with smoked salmon and goat feta.
I made this omg it was so delicous on my cucumber salad!!!!
This sauce was amazing…definitely a hit in my home. I warmed it up on top of the stove adding a little coconut milk, seasoned to taste and served on top of spaghetti squash. Delish! Thanks for a great recipe.
Looks so good, can’t wait to try it! Question – can it be made with organic, dried sweet basil leaf flakes? I have a ton of that on hand. I know fresh would be better, but, in order to save time today?
Started a Candida cleanse and used this over spaghetti squash–delish!
One question, have you ever thinned out extra sauce to use as a salad dressing? Any tips on what to use for thinning it out–maybe water?
I haven’t tried it myself, but I assume water would work just fine! Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this last night! Even my husband loved it, however I forgot to mention it was actually healthy!
Oops forgot to rate
I get my kelp noodles at iHerb.com or in the refrigerated section of my Whole Foods (by the kimchee and mochi). I’m hoping they grow on me. They don’t have a taste but that crunch is so unexpected (think thinner bean sprout-type crunch). I wonder if boiling them a bit would help soften them. Anyone tried it?
Has anyone tried the sea vegetables (same brand)? I bought a bag a few months ago but am worried I wont like them since I don’t like seaweeds or the taste of dark greens except raw spinach and raw/cooked Kale. I know they’re so nutritious though! Gotta give em a try 🙂
I’m looking forward to trying this pesto recipe tonight! thanks megan!
I tried this. It is awesome! I used wholly guacamole instead of fresh avocado. Yummy!
I recently read that you can set the noodles in a mixture of a little bit of baking soda and lemon juice to soften them.
Then you rinse them off before eating..
One word…..”BRILLIANT”. So simple yet and easy. I know what we are having for dinner tonight!!
Keep the recipes coming…..I love your blog!