Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Print Version)
Creamy avocado and herb sauce tossed with pasta for a fresh, satisfying vegetarian dinner in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fresh Herbs
01 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
02 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
03 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, snipped
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves (optional)
→ Sauce Base
05 - 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
06 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
09 - 1 garlic clove, peeled
10 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for vegan)
→ Pasta
11 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, penne, or gluten-free variety)
→ Seasoning
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine the fresh basil, parsley, chives, tarragon (if using), avocado, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor or blender. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and yields a vibrant green color.
03 - Taste the sauce and season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes as desired. If the sauce is too thick, gradually blend in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until you reach a creamy, pourable consistency.
04 - Transfer the drained pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour the green goddess sauce over the hot pasta and toss thoroughly until every strand or piece is evenly coated. Add additional pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, glossy finish.
05 - Divide among plates and serve immediately. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This sauce comes together in a blender while your pasta cooks, so dinner basically makes itself.
- The avocado makes it luxuriously creamy without a single drop of heavy cream.
02 -
- The sauce will darken if it sits too long, so serve it as soon as it is tossed for the brightest color.
- Saving that pasta water is not optional because the starch is what makes the sauce cling to every bite instead of pooling at the bottom.
03 -
- Blend the herbs and liquids first before adding the avocado, because overblending avocado can make the sauce gummy instead of silky.
- A squeeze of extra lemon juice right before serving wakes up all the flavors that may have settled.