Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable Version)

Creamy, herb-packed sauce with fresh greens and herbs for a vibrant pasta flavor.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Greens & Herbs

01 - 2 cups packed baby spinach
02 - 1 cup chopped green cabbage
03 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
04 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
05 - 1/4 cup fresh chives
06 - 1/4 cup fresh tarragon (optional)

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 cloves garlic
08 - 2 green onions, chopped
09 - 1 small avocado, peeled and pitted

→ Dairy

10 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Liquids & Acidity

13 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
15 - 1/4 cup olive oil

→ Seasoning

16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
18 - Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Pasta

19 - 12 ounces dried pasta (linguine, spaghetti, or penne)

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water following package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Combine spinach, cabbage, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon (if using), garlic, green onions, avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor.
03 - Blend mixture until smooth and creamy, scraping sides as needed. Gradually add reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, to reach a pourable consistency.
04 - Taste sauce and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as preferred.
05 - Toss hot, drained pasta with green goddess sauce until evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses up all those leftover herbs before they turn into green mush in the back of the fridge.
  • The sauce tastes fancy but comes together in one blender while the pasta boils.
  • You can eat it hot like a proper dinner or cold straight from the fridge at midnight.
02 -
  • If you skip reserving the pasta water, the sauce might be too thick to coat the noodles properly and you will be sad.
  • The avocado must be ripe or the sauce will have weird lumps no amount of blending can fix.
  • Blend the sauce while the pasta cooks so everything finishes at the same time and you feel like a efficiency genius.
03 -
  • Blend the sauce in small bursts at first so the herbs do not turn bitter from overheating.
  • If you are making this ahead, store the sauce separately and toss it with hot pasta right before serving so it does not get gummy.
  • Use the sauce as a dip for vegetables or spread it on sandwiches if you have extra, it is too good to waste.
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