Avocado & Basil Pasta

Avocado lovers and fresh basil lovers, listen up ... 'Cause I've got the PERFECT pasta dish for you! This quick and easy pasta, featuring loads of fresh basil and avocado with a touch of bacon, comes together in a flash and delivers BIG flavor. In fact, Avocado & Basil Pasta may just become your new weeknight favorite.

Love easy, full-of-flavor dishes? Love creamy, ripe avocados? Love the wonderful aroma and flavor of fresh basil? Then you're in the right place ... 'cause this Avocado & Basil is for you. It will put your belly in its happy place, ... I'm sure.

It certainly puts my belly in it's happy place.

But then, so do Insanely Delicious Turtle Cookies and Pizza Spaghetti Bake and No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert ... Oh, but I digress ...

I came across the original recipe for this quick and easy pasta in a church cookbook from one of my Mom's friend's churches. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try it. I mean, I had never thought to put avocado and basil together {have you?} ... and it sounded divine.

And you know what?

It is divine!

Especially when sprinkled with a bit of crumbled bacon and grated Parmesan. 'Cause bacon and Parmesan make everything better, don't you think?

Now, I of course, didn't leave the original recipe alone. Nope. I did what I do best and tweaked it to the hubby's and my liking. Actually, truth be told, the hubby is the one who added the greatest tweak to this recipe! He's great at coming up with creative recipe ideas and tweaks.

The first time we made this pasta, we decided it needed it an extra hit of flavor ... a little jolt, if you will. So we started trying a few things, sprinkling or drizzling little bits of stuff on a few bites and trying it .... until we found it the thing that gave the little jolt we were looking for.

And my hubby Mark is the one who came up with the 'jolter.' It is ... balsamic vinegar!

Yes, a little touch of balsamic vinegar compliments the basil and avocado and perks up the flavor in this dish soooooo beautifully.

So, if you love quick. And easy. And flavorful. And creamy ripe avocado. And the wonderful aroma and flavor of fresh basil. You'll love this Avocado & Basil Pasta.

Give it a try, and I'm sure you'll put your belly in its happy place.

Avocado Basil Pasta

Source: Adapted from Pass the Plate, First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients

2 1/2 c. dry bow-tie pasta {about 8 oz.}
2 large avocados
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 c. chopped fresh basil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 green onions, chopped
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta in salted water, according to package directions.
While pasta cooks, combine bacon, basil, green onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Place lemon juice in a small bowl; coarsely chop avocado and toss it with the lemon juice {this keeps the avocado from turning brown}. Add avocado and lemon juice mixture to the basil mixture.
Drain pasta; add the hot pasta to the avocado mixture and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Enjoy!

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