Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable Version)

A creamy blend of fresh greens and herbs creates a vibrant, flavorful green goddess pasta sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 oz dried pasta (such as linguine, spaghetti, or penne)

# Steps:

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.
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 down the sides as needed. Add reserved pasta water gradually, one tablespoon at a time, to reach a pourable consistency.
04 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice according to preference.
05 - Toss the hot, drained pasta with the green goddess sauce until evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra herbs and Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes bright and fresh but feels indulgent and creamy at the same time.
  • You can make it in the time it takes water to boil, so dinner actually happens when you need it to.
  • It works equally well warm or cold, which means leftovers are genuinely exciting.
02 -
  • Cold blenders work better than room temperature ones, so chill yours if you have time; warm ingredients make the sauce break and separate, which is a disaster you can avoid.
  • Don't skip squeezing your own lemon juice—bottled just tastes sour and metallic where fresh lemon tastes alive and necessary.
  • The pasta water is your safety net; adding it slowly means you can always get to the right consistency, but you can't take it back if you add too much.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before you drain it, not after—I learned this the hard way by standing at my sink looking at empty pasta and sadness.
  • If the sauce breaks and looks separated, add an ice cube and blend it again gently; cold can reset an emulsion that got too warm.
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