Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Vibrant pasta salad with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and tangy homemade dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta (fusilli, rotini, or penne)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed and halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
→ Green Goddess Dressing
08 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
09 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
12 - 2 tbsp fresh chives
13 - 1 tbsp fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp dried)
14 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 small garlic clove
16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
17 - 1/4 tsp salt
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
19 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
→ Optional Toppings
20 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
21 - 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, add snap peas to the boiling water. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Set aside.
02 - Place Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and vibrant green, approximately 1-2 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta with snap peas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, chopped spinach, and sliced scallions.
04 - Pour prepared Green Goddess dressing over pasta and vegetable mixture. Using a large spoon or tongs, gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Garnish with diced avocado and toasted seeds if desired. Serve immediately chilled or at room temperature. Alternatively, refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade dressing puts store bought versions to absolute shame and takes five minutes
- It gets better as it sits, making it perfect for make ahead lunches
02 -
- Rinse the pasta under cold water after draining to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly
- The dressing thickens up in the fridge so stir in a splash of water or olive oil before serving leftovers
03 -
- Use a microplane to grate the garlic so it disappears completely into the dressing
- Taste the dressing before tossing it with the pasta since herbs vary in intensity