Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Tender pasta tossed with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and silky avocado-yogurt dressing. A refreshing, easy meal for any occasion.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli, rotini, or penne
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

→ Green Goddess Dressing

08 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
09 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons water for thinning
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocado, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding water one tablespoon at a time until achieving a pourable consistency.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add diced cucumber, chopped spinach, parsley, chives, and basil to the pasta.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the salad ingredients. Using a gentle tossing motion, coat all components evenly with dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice as desired.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal texture, or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing comes together in under two minutes and tastes like you spent an hour on it.
  • It stays vibrant and fresh even after sitting in the fridge, unlike mayo-based salads that turn sad and soupy.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables or proteins you have on hand and it still works beautifully.
  • The avocado makes it creamy enough to feel indulgent but light enough that you actually want seconds.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional, hot pasta will turn your beautiful green dressing into a murky brown mess.
  • If your avocado is not ripe, the dressing will be lumpy and taste grassy, so wait a day or use a different recipe.
  • The salad tastes best within four hours, after that the herbs start to lose their brightness and the cucumber releases water.
  • If you are making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss it with the pasta and vegetables right before serving.
03 -
  • Use the best olive oil you have, you will taste it in the dressing and it makes a difference.
  • If your blender is struggling, add the water first and then the other ingredients so everything moves freely.
  • Freeze any leftover herbs in olive oil in an ice cube tray, then pop them into soups or pastas later.
  • A microplane is the fastest way to get that garlic clove minced fine enough to disappear into the dressing.
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