Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy green goddess dressing coats pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, snap peas, avocado and fresh herbs.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta (fusilli, rotini, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables & Add-ins
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup English cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup snap peas, sliced
05 - 1 small avocado, diced
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
→ Green Goddess Dressing
09 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream for richer flavor)
10 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
11 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
12 - 1/4 cup fresh tarragon, chopped
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh chives, tarragon, minced garlic, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until completely smooth and vibrant green. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste. Thin with a splash of water if the dressing is too thick.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced snap peas, diced avocado, thinly sliced spring onions, chopped parsley, and torn basil leaves. Toss gently to distribute the vegetables evenly.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the assembled salad. Toss gently but thoroughly, ensuring every component is evenly coated with the creamy herb dressing.
05 - Taste the finished salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a blender in under a minute and tastes like summer in a jar.
- It stretches to feed a crowd without costing much, and it holds up beautifully in the fridge overnight.
02 -
- Cold pasta absorbs seasoning fast, so always taste again right before serving and add a pinch more salt if it feels flat.
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta, because residual heat will cook the raw vegetables and turn your crisp salad into something soggy.
03 -
- Make the dressing a few hours ahead and let it sit in the fridge so the tarragon and garlic have time to fully bloom.
- Dice all the vegetables roughly the same size so every forkful delivers a balanced bite instead of one dominating ingredient.