Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Creamy green goddess pasta with tomatoes, cucumber, snap peas and basil—best served chilled.

# 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

# Directions:

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, chives, tarragon, garlic, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and vibrant green. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting consistency with a splash of water if the dressing is too thick.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced snap peas, diced avocado, thinly sliced spring onions, chopped parsley, and basil.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the assembled salad. Gently toss until every component is evenly coated, taking care not to mash the avocado.
05 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and meld together.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing comes together in about two minutes flat and tastes like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a trendy cafe.
  • It travels beautifully, making it the undisputed champion of picnic baskets and potluck tables everywhere.
  • Everything is flexible, so you can swap vegetables based on whatever is languishing in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • The avocado will brown if the salad sits overnight, so add it right before serving if you are making this ahead.
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and washes away starch that would otherwise make everything gummy.
  • Tarragon can overpower the dressing quickly, so start with the measured amount and resist the urge to double it.
03 -
  • Make the dressing up to three days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge, because the flavors deepen and improve with a little time.
  • Slice all the vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta so every forkful feels balanced and nothing dominates the bite.

Go Back