Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Print Page)
Tender pasta tossed with creamy herb dressing, crisp veggies, avocado and toasted seeds for a fresh, crowd-pleasing salad.
# 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)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook until al dente, following package directions. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside and let cool completely.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic clove, and Dijon mustard. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth and a vibrant green color forms. 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. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds and scatter additional fresh herbs over the top, if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a blender in about sixty seconds and tastes like something from a fancy deli.
- It holds up beautifully at room temperature, which makes it the most reliable potluck dish you will ever bring.
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water or it will keep cooking and turn gummy while it sits.
- Add the avocado right before serving if you are making this ahead, because it browns after a few hours no matter how much lemon juice you use.
03 -
- Use the freshest herbs you can find, because the dressing is really just a vehicle for them and wilted basil will taste flat and sad.
- Let the dressed salad sit for at least fifteen minutes before serving, because that short rest transforms it from good to genuinely memorable.