Creamy avocado and courgette pesto with wholewheat penne

Creamy avocado and courgette pesto with wholewheat penne: a quick pasta dish with avocado, courgette, garlic and pine nuts – mild, nutty and satisfying.

At a glance

• Serves 1
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 450 kcal per serving
• Protein: 14 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Carbs: 60 g

Ingredients

• 100 g wholewheat pasta
• ½ avocado
• 100 g courgette
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp pine nuts

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · stick blender · grater

1. Cook the wholewheat penne in salted water until al dente and save a little of the pasta water.
2. Wash the courgette, coarsely grate it and crush the garlic.
3. Blend the avocado, courgette, garlic and pine nuts into a smooth pesto.
4. Add a little pasta water and keep blending until the sauce is smooth and light.
5. Mix the drained penne with the avocado and courgette pesto right in the pan and season to taste with salt. Warm everything only gently so the avocado stays creamy.
6. Serve the pasta straight away – it's best fresh.

Good to know

Sometimes pasta just needs to be soft, creamy and simple. That's exactly how this dish feels: gentle, fresh and on the table quickly.

Swaps

Pine nuts → walnuts (more omega-3 fatty acids); wholewheat penne → chickpea pasta (more protein and fibre); avocado → puréed white beans (makes the pesto just as creamy); courgette → baby spinach (more folate and vitamin K)

Allergens

Contains tree nuts only if you replace the pine nuts (with walnuts, for example). The dish is mild and usually fine for children, and unremarkable during pregnancy with fresh, well-washed ingredients. Contains: gluten.

Dairy-free recipes