This creamy California Avocado Pasta with Miso and Leeks is the perfect lunch or dinner that comes together in a few easy steps. This recipe is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission! All opinions are my own.

Creamy California Avocado Pasta

This rich and delicious avocado pasta is vibrantly green, creamy (without any dairy) and perfect to enjoy in the spring months. It features an umami miso and leek based sauce and the creaminess comes from ripe, Fresh California Avocados and olive oil. California Avocados make for an ultra creamy sauce and dressing base with heart-healthy fats and is the perfect base for vegan and dairy free recipes.

Avocado Pasta Ingredients

To make this recipe you can choose your favourite pasta (gluten free pasta, if desired) but I like rigatoni because the sauce clings nicely to the pasta and makes its way inside the pasta too! In addition, we’ll need:

• California Avocado. You’ll want perfectly ripe avocado, soft to the touch to make blending easy.
• Olive Oil. Use a high quality olive oil to emulsify the sauce while blending it. This will help to get things nice and creamy. We’ll also use a touch to sauté our leeks.
• Leek. The recipe calls for one large leek! It’s a delicious form of allium, a great alternative to the standard onion and garlic and perfect to enjoy in the springtime. 
• Lemon. We’ll use the juice of a whole lemon for some acidity and zing.
• Miso Paste. I love adding miso to recipes because it offers umami, deep savoury flavour and the depth of salinity.
• Fresh Garlic. One small clove will do–raw garlic packs a punch!
• Salt. To taste, and sauté our leek with.

To garnish the dish, we’ll top with:

• Scallions. Optional, but delicious!
• Fresh Black Pepper. Measure with your heart.

What Differentiates California Avocados?

California Avocados are cultivated with dedication to quality and freshness, by about 3,000 growers, on approximately 50,000 acres in California from San Diego to Monterey. The Golden State’s terroir and coastal climate provide ideal growing conditions to produce these delectable avocados!

Locally grown California Avocados are picked at their peak resulting in fruit that is consistent in taste and texture. California Avocados are in season from spring to summer, so now is the perfect time to make dishes like this!

To ensure you’re enjoying locally grown California Avocados, just look for California on the label.

How to Make Creamy California Avocado Pasta

Slice and Peel California Avocados

First, we’ll cut and peel our ripe, Fresh California Avocado. Slice it in half on a cutting board, twist to separate the two halves, gently remove the skin and then remove the pit. Toss the two halves directly into a blender.

Prepare the Sauce

To prepare the sauce, we’ll start by sautéeing our finely sliced leeks in a touch of olive oil. Season with salt and cook until tender. Transfer to a blender along with all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy, drizzling in olive oil as you blend to emulsify.

Cook the Pasta

Once the sauce is ready, cook your pasta until al dente. Drain and return to pot, reserving a little bit of pasta cooking water. Add the sauce to the pot with a splash of pasta cooking water and toss to coat, until all of the pasta is enrobed in the sauce. 

Tips & FAQ

How to Make it Gluten Free

The only substitution you’ll need to make this dish gluten free is to make sure you’re using a gluten free pasta. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten free!

Serving Suggestions 

I recommend preparing this dish just before you intend to eat. You can prepare the sauce in advance, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and then toss with pasta once ready to eat. Be sure not to store for too long, however, as the avocado base of the sauce will brown over time.

Ingredients & Method

Serving Size: Serves 3-4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
1 ripe, Fresh California Avocado, pitted and peeled

Sauce Ingredients

8oz pasta of choice

1 large leek, thinly sliced

½ cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp white miso paste

1 small clove garlic

Salt, to taste

Garnish

2 scallions, green tops thinly sliced 

Black pepper, to taste

Method
1. Sauté leeks with a touch of olive oil and season with salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until tender and fragrant, then transfer to a blender or food processor
2. To the blender, add avocado halves, lemon juice, miso paste, garlic and a pinch of salt. Start to blend and slowly stream in olive oil to help emulsify.
3. Cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente and reserve about ¼ cup of pasta cooking water.
4. Toss cooked pasta with the sauce, to taste, and pasta cooking water until the pasta is nicely coated.
5. Garnish with scallions if desired and fresh black pepper. Enjoy immediately!