Creamless Fettuccine Alfredo with California Avocados

HomeRecipesOtherBlogger RecipesCreamless Fettuccine Alfredo with California Avocados

Total Time: 25 min

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Cook Time: 10 min

Prep Time: 15 min

As far as pasta sauces go, traditional Alfredo presents a tough challenge: It’s at once delicious enough yet far too heavy to eat every day. What’s a carb lover to do? Enter ripe California Avocados, which serve as a nutritious substitute to Alfredo’s traditional cream. By using them strategically, you’ll land yourself a luscious but lighter pasta dish in no time at all.

In this recipe, a good squeeze of lemon gives the avocado sauce a hint of brightness; black pepper lends a touch of spice; chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts add a textural layer; and a sprinkling of Parm offers a nutty, umami-rich finale. With a pasta this good, you’ll soon be twirling the night away.

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Serves: 6

Ingredients
Instructions

Sauce 4 ripe, Fresh California Avocados, seeded and peeled 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tsp. lemon zest 1 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt, or to taste Fettuccine 1 lb. dry fettuccine 2 cups reserved pasta cooking liquid 6 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted, divided 3 Tbsp. parsley leaves, roughly chopped, divided Small parsley leaves, for garnish

Bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil.
While the water comes to a boil, make the sauce: In the base of a food processor, add the California Avocados, cheese, lemon juice and zest, onion powder, pepper, and garlic powder. Purée the mixture until smooth and season lightly with salt. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.
Once the water comes to a boil, salt the water and add the fettuccine. Cook the pasta to a desired doneness, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Add the cooked pasta to the large bowl and toss the pasta in with the sauce. The mixture will be thick. Use the cooking liquid to get the sauce to a creamy consistency. Toss in 4 tablespoons of pine nuts and 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, and season with any additional salt. Plate the pasta onto serving dishes and garnish with the remaining pine nuts, chopped parsley and whole parsley leaves, then serve.

Serving Suggestion: Grate additional freshly shaved Parmesan at the table.

Beverage Pairing: Pinot Grigio.

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.