This garlic scape pesto avocado pasta is a healthy, vegetarian dinner the the entire family will love.
Have you ever tried cooking with garlic scapes? They’re the beautiful, tentacle-shaped flower stems of the garlic plant and they pack a strong flavor punch.
I was a bit thrown off by them at first because they can be tough and fibrous. But a little experimentation was all I needed to become a fan. Garlic scapes are wonderful when sliced thin and sautéed with vegetables.
They also make an excellent base for pesto.
This pesto is very strong by itself, which is why I like to combine a few tablespoons with an avocado to create a creamy pasta sauce. The avocado softens the intensity of the garlic flavor and creates a smooth coating for pasta. It’s a lovely, light vegetarian dinner option.
Creamy Avocado Pasta with Garlic Scape Pesto
Ingredients
Garlic scape pesto:
- 1 cup chopped garlic scapes
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1/2 cup packed baby arugula (regular arugula will also work)
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the pasta:
- 1 pound pasta of choice (I used thin spaghetti)
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 3 tablespoons garlic scape pesto
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the pesto, combine the garlic scapes, mint, basil, arugula, salt and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are all chopped and then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the machine running, add the olive oil until the ingredients are combined.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook to pasta according to package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the avocado, 3 tablespoons pesto, milk, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a blender. Puree until smooth.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss the cooked pasta together with the avocado pesto sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Megan {Country Cleaver} says
I will have to try scapes sometime, they look like so much fun to cook with!
Laura Dembowski says
I’ve only had the chance to work with garlic scapes once but I’d love to again. They sound like a nice addition to the pesto.