Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Print View)

A refreshing combination of tender pasta, crisp cucumbers, and fresh herbs tossed in creamy avocado-yogurt dressing.

# 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 from approximately 1/2 lemon
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed for consistency
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 through a colander and rinse under cold running water to cool completely. 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, adding water gradually to achieve a creamy, pourable consistency.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add diced cucumber, chopped spinach, parsley, chives, and basil.
04 - Pour green goddess dressing over pasta mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt or lemon juice to preference.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing is so creamy you won't believe there's no mayo involved, just ripe avocado and tangy yogurt doing all the work.
  • It holds up beautifully at room temperature, which means you can actually enjoy your picnic instead of worrying about keeping things cold.
  • Every bite tastes bright and alive, thanks to all those fresh herbs that make even leftover pasta feel special.
  • You can toss it together in the time it takes to boil pasta and chop a few things, no fancy techniques required.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water isn't just about cooling it down, it also washes away excess starch that would make the salad gummy and weird.
  • If your avocado isn't ripe enough, the dressing will be lumpy and pale, so give it another day on the counter if it's still hard.
  • The dressing will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so add an extra tablespoon of water or lemon juice if you're making this ahead.
03 -
  • Taste your avocado before you blend it, if it's bland or underripe, add an extra squeeze of lemon and a pinch more salt to wake things up.
  • Chop your herbs just before you toss them in so they stay bright and fragrant instead of turning dark and bruised.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, double the dressing recipe and keep extra on the side so people can add more if they want.
Return