Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Printable)

Creamy herb dressing coats tender pasta with fresh vegetables for a refreshing summer dish.

# What You’ll 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 Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Add snap peas during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process.
02 - Combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and vibrant green.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together cooked pasta, snap peas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, radishes, spinach, and scallions until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour prepared Green Goddess dressing over pasta and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients thoroughly with the dressing.
05 - Top with diced avocado and toasted seeds if using. Serve immediately chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade dressing puts store-bought versions to shame with fresh herbs that make it taste alive
  • It travels beautifully and actually gets better as the flavors mingle
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble in under 10 minutes
02 -
  • Rinse your pasta under cold water immediately after draining or it will keep cooking and turn mushy
  • The dressing tastes even better after sitting for an hour, so make it first if you can plan ahead
  • Do not add salt until after tasting since the pasta water was already salted
03 -
  • Toast your seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, watching closely since they burn fast
  • Double the dressing recipe and keep the extra in the fridge for quick salads all week

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