Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Avocado
Recipe GLPR29d3e44f367aea
A vibrant, fresh pasta dish featuring tender fusilli coated in aromatic basil pesto, wilted baby spinach, and creamy avocado chunks. Sweet peas and a bright splash of red wine vinegar round out this light yet satisfying meal that comes together in about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature for a versatile lunch or dinner option.
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Ingredients
12 ounces fusilli pasta
Salt, plus more for seasoning
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
6 to 8 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup peas, fresh or thawed frozen
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
Directions
Bring a large pot filled with 3 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the fusilli pasta to the boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Cook the pasta in the rapidly boiling water until al dente—tender with a slight firmness when bitten, typically 8 to 12 minutes depending on package instructions. The pasta should be cooked through but still have a slight bite.
Before draining, scoop out approximately 1/2 cup of the hot pasta cooking water and set it aside in a small bowl.
Place the chopped fresh spinach in the bottom of a large serving bowl.
Drain the hot pasta and immediately transfer it to the bowl over the raw spinach. Toss gently to combine. The residual heat from the hot pasta will begin to wilt the spinach leaves.
Add the basil pesto to the pasta and spinach mixture, stirring well to ensure all the pasta is evenly coated with the pesto.
Pour in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the mixture slightly and create a silkier consistency.
Drizzle in the red wine vinegar and sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the pasta. Toss everything together until well combined.
Gently stir in the peas, then carefully fold in the chopped avocado, taking care not to break up the avocado pieces too much.
Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning with additional salt, vinegar, or pepper as desired.
Serve the pasta while it is still warm or allow it to cool to room temperature before serving.
