by 
This Avocado Spinach Pasta is a quick and easy recipe that kids love. The no-cook sauce has a deliciously creamy texture and is packed with goodness.
Both my boys are big fans of pasta and given the choice I think they would eat it every day. They aren't fussy about the shape or sauce that it is served with, they just want pasta!
For this reason, I find pasta a great vehicle for adding lots of veggies to their meal. This may be through hidden veggie sauces, or vegetables sitting loud and proud mixed with their pasta shapes.
Some pasta recipes they love are...
Why this Pasta Sauce is a Winner
- Quick and Easy: The only cooking needed is for you to boil the pasta. No cooking is required for the sauce. All you need to do is add the ingredients to a food processor/blender, blitz, taste and season accordingly.
- Customisable: This recipe is very flexible. Don't have pine nuts? Then simply replace them with a different nut or miss them out altogether. Don't like basil? Replace it with some parsley or coriander. Want a saltier subtle cheese flavour to your sauce? Then add some freshly grated parmesan. Play around with the flavours and create your own unique version.
- Full of Goodness: Avocado, Spinach, Basil, Pine Nuts, Lemon and Garlic. What is not to love about that ingredient list? Healthy fats and packed with vitamins.
Ingredients and Cooking Tips
- Pasta: I have used spaghetti for these photos but any pasta shape will work. I found spiral pasta was great when my kids were babies as it was easy to pick up.
- Avocado: Make sure your avocado is lovely and ripe or it will not blend properly to make the sauce smooth and creamy.
- Spinach: You can use flat leave or baby spinach and there is no need to cook it beforehand. Just add it to the food processor with the other ingredients and blend.
- Fresh Basil: The basil is for flavour and you can miss it out if you prefer. However, remember when cooking for babies and young children that it is good to expose them to lots of flavours when they are young. Don't shy away from herbs and spices because they are not perceived as "kid-friendly"
- Pine Nuts: You can replace the pine nuts with different nuts such as walnut or cashew. If nut-free you can also miss them out.
- Pasta Water: Pasta water is a great addition to the sauce. Start by adding a ¼ cup of the water to your sauce before blending. If you feel it needs more, add another ¼ cup. I usually add anywhere between ½ - ¾ cup. The starchy water helps to thicken the sauce and glue the pasta and sauce together.
- Seasoning: Now that my kids are older I do salt our food a lot more and you will find the flavour of this sauce and greatly enhanced with a little sauce. Remove your baby/young child's portion and then season this sauce up.
Storage Instructions
This pasta dish is best eaten straight away. However, if you do have leftovers refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to one day. Due to the avocado in the sauce, it may turn brownish in colour.
Other Avocado Recipes...
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Avocado Spinach Spaghetti
Spaghetti served in a creamy avocado and spinach sauce.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves:4
Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler
Ingredients
- 250g (9oz) Spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
- ½ teaspoon Minced Garlic
- 40g (1 cup) Spinach
- 5g (¼ cup) Fresh Basil
- 1 Ripe Avocado, peeled and seeded
- 35g (¼ cup) Pine Nuts
- ½ Lemon, juice of
- 180ml (¾ cup) Pasta Water (See note below on pasta water)
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti to pack instructions.
- As spaghetti is cooking, put all remaining ingredients into a blender/ food processor. Add ¼ cup of pasta water and blitz until smooth. If you feel you need more pasta water add another ¼ cup and again if required.
- Season sauce to taste (see note below on seasoning)
- Drain spaghetti and mix with sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Pasta: I have used spaghetti for these photos but any pasta shape will work. I found spiral pasta was great when my kids were babies as it was easy to pick up.
- Avocado: Make sure your avocado is lovely and ripe or it will not blend properly to make the sauce smooth and creamy.
- Spinach: You can use flat leave or baby spinach and there is no need to cook it beforehand. Just add it to the food processor with the other ingredients and blend.
- Fresh Basil: The basil is for flavour and you can miss it out if you prefer. However, remember when cooking for babies and young children that it is good to expose them to lots of flavours when they are young. Don't shy away from herbs and spices because they are not perceived as "kid-friendly"
- Pine Nuts: You can replace the pine nuts with different nuts such as walnut or cashew. If nut-free you can also miss them out.
- Pasta Water: Pasta water is a great addition to the sauce. Start by adding a ¼ cup of the water to your sauce before blending. If you feel it needs more, add another ¼ cup. I usually add anywhere between ½ - ¾ cup. The starchy water helps to thicken the sauce and glue the pasta and sauce together.
- Seasoning: Now that my kids are older I do salt our food a lot more and you will find the flavour of this sauce and greatly enhanced with a little sauce. Remove your baby/young child's portion and then season this sauce up.
Nutritional facts
Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
Claire
The family loved this one
Amy
Great! Thanks Claire 🙂
ashley
I loved this recipe! I made it with these meatballs for my 8 month old and it was a big hit. His older cousins even liked it 🙂
Sarah N.
Just made this for dinner and my 7 month old loved it as did my husband & myself!
Amy
Thanks Sarah, I'm so happy you all enjoyed it 🙂
Trish
will this work with frozen spinach??
Amy
Hi Trish, I haven't tried it with frozen spinach but believe it would work 🙂
Kes
How much basil do you put in please?
Amy
Hi Kes, good spot! Sorry I missed that out, I have updated the recipe. 5g 🙂
Jo
Made this last night, and it’s delicious! Didn’t find it bland at all (as per above comment). So easy too, the sauce was made within the time it took to cook the pasta (even with a toddler “helping”) - recipes so often say this but I find it’s rarely true. My 2 year old gobbled it up, such an easy way to get some extra veg into her. I think this one will be becoming a regular in our house.
Amy
I haven't made this in a long time and have it scheduled to update (photos and recipe info). It is great to know you enjoyed it as I was thinking that I may have to look at adapting the recipe too, this gives me confidence that I won't have to!
Aoife Lyons
Made it and was very bland even added some cream and was still on the boring side my 14 month was equally unimpressed, it needs some extra spice/kick! On the up side he had a ball playing with the spaghetti!
Amy
Hi Aiofe, thanks for the feedback - sorry you didn't have success with the recipe. I haven't made this is a while but remember my boys really enjoying it. The next time I get a good deal on avocados I'll make it again and have a play around with the flavours.
Bianca
Hi there, this recipe sounds amazing! Going to try it tomorrow. Do you cook the Spinach or do you add it raw? Thanks
Amy
Thanks Bianca, I just added it raw. Enjoy 🙂
Bianca christy
Thanks. I gave it a try and it came out very bitter. Do you use a specific type of spinach?
Jennie
Does this recipe freeze well?
Amy
Hi Jennie, I have never actually frozen this recipe before so can't say for sure, sorry. I would recommend freezing the sauce separate from the pasta. I often freeze pasta sauce in ice cube trays so it is easy to take out desired amount.
Molly
what do you do with the 1/4 cup of pasta water?
Amy
Hi Molly, I pop it with the other ingredients into the blender to make the sauce ?