Start by boiling a large pot of salted water. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add in your choice of pasta. Follow the package instructions for cooking time, usually around 8–10 minutes until it’s quite al dente. You want to maintain a bit of bite that can hold up against the creamy sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, it’s time to make the sauce. In a mixing bowl, scoop out the ripe avocado and mash it using a fork. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, chopped garlic, dried Italian herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend everything until you have a smooth and creamy sauce.

Fold in a generous handful of fresh baby spinach leaves into your mashed avocado mixture. You want the spinach to wilt ever so slightly from the heat of the pasta, enhancing the overall flavor and nutrition.

Once your pasta is ready, reserve about ½ a cup of the cooking water and drain the rest. Add the drained pasta directly into the bowl with your avocado sauce. Mix well until every strand is coated in that luscious green goodness. If the mixture feels too thick, gradually add in the reserved pasta water a bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Give your dish a taste. See if you need to adjust the seasoning with a little more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Remember, the goal is to achieve a balance of flavors that excites your taste buds.

Once everything is well mixed, transfer your vegan avocado pasta to a serving dish. You can garnish it with pine nuts or sunflower seeds for that crunchy finish. If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle some extra nutritional yeast on top for that cheesy flair.