Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy green goddess pasta with fresh herbs, crisp veggies and toasted seeds—serve chilled or right away.
# What You 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 tbsp fresh chives
13 - 2 tbsp fresh tarragon (or dill)
14 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 - 1 small garlic clove
16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
18 - 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
19 - Fresh herbs for serving (optional)
# Steps:
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 in a colander and rinse thoroughly 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 freshly ground black 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 with a large spoon or tongs until every ingredient is evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a blender and tastes like a garden exploded in the best possible way.
- It holds up beautifully at room temperature so you can actually relax at your own picnic instead of worrying about food safety.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is nonnegotiable here because warm pasta will drink up all the dressing and leave you with a dry salad by the time you serve it.
- The avocado will brown if the salad sits too long so if you are making it ahead wait to add the avocado until just before serving.
03 -
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about three minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until they puff and crackle because that thirty second step transforms them from forgettable to addictive.
- If your dressing seems too thick after blending loosen it with a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water you saved before draining.