Pasta With Creamy Avocado Sauce
Serves 2.
Note: This is real fast food: Blend the avocado sauce while the pasta is boiling and you have a filling meal in no time. Toasted almonds bring a bit of luxury to the dish while adding both crunchiness and a nutty flavor. It's also good served with fresh spinach and arugula. This recipe calls for nutritional yeast, which adds a slightly cheesy flavor to the pasta. If you don't have it on hand, you can omit it. Or, if you're not following a strict vegan diet, you can substitute Parmesan cheese. From "Happy Vegan Comfort Food," by Karoline Jönsson (Pavilion, 2020).
• 7 oz. pasta
• 2 avocados
• 6 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp. juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast, optional (see Note)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 chile or a few pinches of chile flakes
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 to 4 tbsp. sliced almonds
Directions
Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
Halve the avocados, remove the stones and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast (if using), garlic and chile, and season with salt and pepper. Blend together, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet until they're golden brown.
Drain the pasta and stir the pasta together with the avocado sauce. Divide between two bowls, sprinkle with the lemon zest and finish by scattering the sliced almonds atop the dish.