Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Print version)
Creamy avocado and herb sauce tossed with pasta for a fresh, vibrant meal in 20 minutes.
# What you'll need:
→ Sauce Base
01 - 1 ripe avocado
02 - 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
03 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
04 - 1/4 cup fresh chives
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves (optional, but traditional)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
12 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional for heat)
→ Pasta
15 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or your favorite shape)
# How to make it:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine avocado, spinach, basil, chives, parsley, tarragon, garlic, olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth and vibrant green.
03 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to balance the flavors.
04 - Return the drained pasta to the pot or transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the green goddess sauce over the hot pasta and toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Divide among bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan, chopped fresh herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- It takes less time than waiting for delivery and tastes like something from a garden-forward restaurant.
- The avocado makes it impossibly creamy without a single drop of heavy cream.
- You probably have most of these herbs growing on your windowsill or sitting in your crisper drawer right now.
02 -
- The sauce will darken if it sits for hours so if you are prepping ahead press plastic wrap directly against the surface to slow oxidation.
- Adding the pasta water is not optional because without it the sauce can seize into a thick paste that clumps instead of coating.
03 -
- Tear the herbs off their stems by hand instead of chopping them because the blender will do the work and you lose less of those fragrant oils on your cutting board.
- Your avocado should be perfectly ripe with no brown spots because any discoloration will show through in that gorgeous green finish.