Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable Version)

Creamy herbaceous sauce with fresh greens and tangy accents elevates your pasta delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ Greens & Herbs

01 - 2 cups packed baby spinach
02 - 1 cup chopped green cabbage
03 - ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
04 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves
05 - ¼ cup fresh chives
06 - ¼ cup fresh tarragon (optional)

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy

10 - ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
11 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
12 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Liquids & Acidity

13 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
15 - ¼ cup olive oil

→ Seasoning

16 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
17 - ¼ 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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine spinach, cabbage, parsley, basil, chives, tarragon if using, garlic, green onions, avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Gradually add reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to adjust the sauce to a pourable consistency.
04 - Taste the sauce and add additional salt, black pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
05 - Toss the hot, drained pasta with the green goddess sauce until well coated.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese if preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a pile of random greens into something luscious and addictive.
  • You can taste every herb without any single one overpowering the others.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and uses up what you already have.
  • The avocado makes it ridiculously creamy without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the only thing that will loosen the sauce without making it watery.
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to, any chunks of herb will feel weird on the pasta.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing it with the pasta, once it is mixed in it is much harder to adjust.
03 -
  • Add the avocado last if your blender struggles with thick mixtures, it will help everything blend more smoothly.
  • If the sauce tastes flat, it probably needs more salt or acid, add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon and taste again.
  • Use the best Parmesan you can find, the cheap stuff does not melt into the sauce the same way and the flavor is not as nutty.
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