Description

Easy, creamy avocado mac and cheese with a simple white cheddar avocado pasta sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

FOR THE PASTA:

3/4 lb. pasta (I love cavatappi)

FOR THE AVOCADO SAUCE:

2 large avocados, peeled and pitted
1 cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish (optional)
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:

2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

FOR THE PASTA:

Cook pasta according to recipe or package directions until al dente (I always cook pasta in very salty water – it brings out the flavor of the pasta).

FOR THE AVOCADO SAUCE:

Combine all avocado sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Pulse to break up the ingredients, then use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse again until you have a thick, creamy sauce. Set aside.

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE & ASSEMBLY:

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Whisk flour into the butter to form a roux and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk milk into roux a little at a time until you’ve worked out all the lumps. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
Whisk avocado sauce into milk mixture. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until sauce has thickened again.
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in white cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until cheese has melted.
Add pasta to sauce and toss until pasta is evenly coated.
Top mac and cheese with fresh cilantro (optional) and serve immediately.

Notes

If you have an especially large food processor, you may have to scrape down the sides a few times or add an extra bit of lime juice to help the blades bring the mixture together more quickly.

Use extra shredded cheddar cheese if you like!

Add any protein or veggies you have on hand to make this a heartier meal.

Mix up the cheeses if you like - pepper jack, goat cheese, gruyere, and parmesan are all tasty additions to this recipe.

This recipe was recently updated to include new photos and more streamlined instructions.

Keywords: pasta, macaroni and cheese, side dish