With a handful of nutritious, flavorful ingredients, this Avocado Pesto is such a delicious meal to share with the kids. It's fast, it stores well, and it's easy to customize for your family. Win! (This makes enough for 2-3 meals of pasta, so see the Notes for how to store.)
Add the spinach, basil (or parsley), Parmesan, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, and sunflower seeds (if using) to a blender or food processor. Start with the lower amount of olive oil and add more as needed to blend the sauce.
Blend very well until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl or using the stick that came with the blender as needed to make a smooth and creamy sauce.
Season to taste with salt if needed.
Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
Toss pasta with as much sauce as you like. (I usually start with ¼-½ cup.) Serve warm with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Store sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in a zip-top freezer bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 3 months. You can also portion sauce into an ice cube tray, freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag for long-term storage in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature to use. Or simply add a frozen sauce cube to a hot bowl of pasta and stir to thaw.
You can also use this sauce on pizza, Pizza Rolls, or with any grain.
Dairy-free: Omit the Parmesan and top with a little nutritional yeast, if desired.
Use the seeds or leave them out, according to your preference.