Sometimes people ask me to post more midweek suppers that can be on the table in just a few minutes. And sometimes, just sometimes, I listen! So today, people, you’re in for a treat – this recipe is the PERFECT lazy midweek supper-for-one when you’ve had a long day at work and the fridge is all but bare…

In fact, it’s almost too good to be true – you can whip this sauce up in the time it takes to cook your pasta, it’s healthy and other than an avocado and fresh basil, you’ve probably got all the ingredients lying around already. Oh, and the sauce is vegan too but you would never ever guess there’s no dairy in there. Trust me: my boyfriend is a staunch vegan food sceptic and he thinks this is the bee’s knees. Just don’t be put off by the unlikely and no doubt un-Italian pairing of avocado and pasta – it makes the slickest and creamiest of sauces.

This is simple, fresh cooking at its boldest – creamy avocado paired with zingy lemon and basil, with a good warming hit of garlic and chilli. Stir into pasta with some halved cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts for a colourful and tasty twist. Also superb used as a dip or spread. Go on, give it a go!

Creamy avocado pasta sauce

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as a pasta sauce

– juice 1/2 lemon
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 garlic clove
– handful basil leaves
– 1 red chilli, deseeded (or not, depending on desired heat)
– 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and stoned
– seasoning

Method:

If using as a pasta sauce, cook your pasta according to instructions.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, blitz the lemon juice, oil, garlic, basil, chilli and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender until smooth and emulsified. Add the avocado, season with black pepper and salt to taste, and pulse again. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more water and pulse again.

Stir into the cooked pasta – that’s it!

Source: Recipe and photos by pip & little blue.