Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable Version)

Creamy avocado-herb sauce tossed with pasta for a fresh, vibrant vegetarian dish ready in minutes.

# What You 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 yogurt 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 option)

→ Pasta

11 - 12 ounces 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 Make It:

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, add the basil, parsley, chives, tarragon (if using), avocado, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to a food processor or blender. Process on high until completely smooth and a vibrant green color emerges.
03 - Taste the blended sauce and season with salt, 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 silky, 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 glossy, cohesive finish.
05 - Divide among serving bowls immediately. Garnish with extra fresh herbs, an additional sprinkle of Parmesan, and a crack of black pepper if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes your pasta to cook, which means almost zero planning ahead.
  • The avocado makes it creamy without a drop of heavy cream, so you feel light but completely satisfied.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
02 -
  • The sauce will darken if it sits for hours because avocado oxidizes, so a squeeze of extra lemon juice and pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface helps if you need to make it ahead.
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water because you cannot replicate its starchiness with plain water once the moment has passed.
03 -
  • Use an avocado that is perfectly ripe with no stringy fibers because any flaw in texture will carry straight through into the sauce.
  • Blend the herbs and liquid first before adding the avocado, then pulse gently, because overblending avocado can make it taste slightly bitter and gummy.

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