Avocad-oh Wow!
Creamy Garlic Beef Pasta Skillet with an Unexpected Twist
35 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalianGluten-freeDairy-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
Here’s an Italian-American mashup where mashed avocado steps in for cream, giving your taste buds a silky surprise. You’ll learn how to build layers of flavor in a skillet, and how rice can do double duty as a thickener.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- 02Meanwhile, in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the rice until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove to a spice grinder or mortar; grind to a coarse powder.
- 03Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the ground beef. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until well-browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- 04Push the beef to the edges. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the minced garlic to the center; cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 05Add the ground toasted rice to the skillet, stirring to coat in the beefy oil for 1 minute.
- 06Add the drained pasta and 1/3 cup reserved pasta water. Toss well to combine.
- 07Halve, pit, and scoop out the avocados. Mash them in a bowl with a big pinch of salt and black pepper until mostly smooth.
- 08Turn off the heat. Stir the mashed avocado into the pasta mixture until creamy and evenly coated, adding a splash more pasta water if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 09Serve immediately, with extra black pepper on top if you’re feeling fancy.
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