Green Goddess Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Vibrant pasta tossed in creamy herb dressing with tomatoes, cucumber, snap peas, and avocado.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 ounces 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
# How-To:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, rinse under cold running water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, chives, tarragon, garlic, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too thick, thin it out with a splash of water until it reaches a pourable consistency.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, snap peas, avocado, spring onions, parsley, and basil until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Gently toss until every component is thoroughly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a blender in about sixty seconds and tastes like something from a fancy deli case.
- It feeds a crowd happily and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge, which means zero last minute stress.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than a few hours ahead because the avocado will brown and the snap peas lose their crunch.
- Adding a splash of extra lemon juice right before serving wakes up all the flavors if it has been sitting in the fridge.
03 -
- Toast the dry pasta in a hot skillet for two minutes before boiling to add a subtle nutty flavor that people will notice but not be able to identify.
- Reserve a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water and mix it into the dressing for extra body and natural saltiness.