Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy green goddess pasta with herbs, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and avocado—ideal for picnics or light lunches.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (fusilli, rotini, or penne)
→ Vegetables & Greens
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced
05 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small avocado, diced
→ Green Goddess Dressing
08 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
09 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon (or dill)
14 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 - 1 small garlic clove
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
19 - Fresh herbs, for serving (optional)
# How to make it:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic clove, and Dijon mustard in a blender or food processor. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend on high until the dressing is completely smooth and a vibrant green color. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced sugar snap peas, chopped baby spinach, thinly sliced scallions, and diced avocado.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until every ingredient is evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds and scatter additional fresh herbs on top if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a blender and tastes like liquid springtime, bright, creamy, and impossible to stop tasting off the spoon.
- It holds up beautifully at room temperature, which means no panicked reheating at potlucks.
- Everything is customizable based on what is wilting in your crisper drawer.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential here because residual heat will cook the spinach and melt the avocado into a green smear.
- The dressing thickens considerably in the fridge, so if you make it ahead, stir in a spoonful of water or lemon juice before tossing.
- Leftovers keep for about two days, but the avocado will brown slightly, so a squeeze of extra lemon juice helps.
03 -
- Toast the seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat just until they start to pop and smell fragrant, about three minutes, then pull them off immediately because they burn fast.
- Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad, and if it needs something, try another squeeze of lemon before reaching for salt.