Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Tender pasta tossed with crisp cucumbers and fresh herbs in a creamy avocado dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 ounces short pasta (fusilli, rotini, or penne)
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
07 - ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

→ Green Goddess Dressing

08 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
09 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons water, for thinning
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the short pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocado, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, adding water gradually to achieve a creamy, pourable consistency.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, gather the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, chopped spinach, parsley, chives, and basil.
04 - Pour the prepared green goddess dressing over the salad mixture. Toss gently to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or lemon juice if desired.
06 - Serve the salad immediately or refrigerate for up to two hours to allow flavors to meld. Optionally, garnish with extra fresh herbs prior to serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The creamy avocado dressing makes every bite feel indulgent while keeping things light and fresh
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after the flavors have time to mingle
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble it in minutes when hunger strikes
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly under cold water until it's completely cool, or it will continue cooking and become mushy
  • The dressing thickens as it sits in the refrigerator, so you might need to thin it with a splash of water before serving
  • Don't dress the salad more than two hours before serving, or the pasta will absorb all the dressing and become dry
03 -
  • Use your food processor to chop all the herbs at once, pulsing until they're evenly chopped but not pureed
  • If the dressing looks slightly grainy after blending, keep going, the avocado eventually becomes completely smooth and velvety
  • This salad tastes best at room temperature, so remove it from the refrigerator about twenty minutes before serving if it's been chilled
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