Green Goddess Pasta Salad Recipe

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Chill Time: 60 mins

Total: 110 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Yield: 1 lb pasta

8 ratings

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Green goddess dressing is truly everything, everywhere, all at once. The internet is obsessed and so are we. Baked by Melissa came to us in 2022 with the green goddess salad that doubled as the ultimate chip dip. It’s one of those social media trends that we keep in our rolodex for a last-minute party dish or crowd-pleasing side.

It’s punchy, herbacious, bright green all over, packed with lots of the good stuff, and if we’re being honest, we just really like saying the name. But my lanta, all the chopping! So we’ve turned it into the easiest pasta salad of our dreams.

What's in Green Goddess Pasta Salad?

This recipe delivers on the creamy richness we long for in pasta salad, but we don’t leave the table with our pants unbuttoned. Loaded with 3 different herbs, lemon, briny capers, lots of garlic, Dijon, and a little anchovy for an umami curveball, the dressing comes together in no time thanks to a blender or food processor.

I chose cascatelli for my noodle because it's the perfect toothy bite for how bold the flavors are. You can easily swap in another short pasta like shells, fusilli, farfalle, gemelli, or even tortellini. Charred scallions, zucchini, and capers bring a sweet, smoky flavor to balance the tangy dressing.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Finishing and Serving Green Goddess Pasta Salad

To finish the pasta, we fold in arugula for more feel-good moments, then tear fresh burrata across the top for extra decadence. The red pepper gremolata brings a subtle heat to round it all out. This green goddess pasta salad is hearty enough to serve as the main for Meatless Monday or bring it to your next potluck for rave reviews. It also makes a standout workday lunch. Just wait to add the arugula and burrata until ready to eat.

Tips for Making Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Don't overcook the pasta—The pasta will continue to cook as it cools so be sure to not overcook it.
Adjust the flavors to taste—Make sure you taste and adjust seasoning as you go. Make this to your liking, so add more herbs or different herbs. Incorporate spice or make this vegan. This is a versatile recipe, so you can easily adjust any of the ingredients as desired.
Add arugula at the last minute—Add the arugula right before serving so that it doesn’t wilt in the dressing. Feel free to add as much as you would like. If you're taking this to a potluck, keep the arugula separate until you put the bowl down on the buffet table.
Ditto for the burrata—The burrata is best fresh as well, so tear and garnish right before serving.
Let the flavors meld—The pasta salad is best chilled for at least an hour so it has time to absorb the dressing, so make sure you account for this timing.

Make Ahead

Make the dressing ahead and store in an airtight container up to 5 days beforehand.
Make the pasta ahead of time, then add the arugula, burrata, and gremolata right before serving.

"Green Goddess Pasta Salad has all the elements of a delicious green goddess dressing in main course form. Certainly, this dish could serve as a sumptuous side dish, but it makes a great summer meal all on its own. Either way, you’ll be sure to enjoy it." —Joan Velush

For the Dressing

1 cup sour cream, plain full-fat Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 packed cup fresh parsley
1/2 packed cup fresh dill
3 medium crushed garlic cloves
3 anchovy fillets
2 coarsely chopped medium scallions
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons caper juice
1 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, more to taste

For the Pasta

Fine salt, as needed
1 lb cascatelli or other short, toothy pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 medium scallions, coarsely chopped
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup packed baby arugula
2 large balls burrata

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Make the dressing. Place 1 cup sour cream, plain full-fat Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise, 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, 1/2 packed cup fresh parsley, 1/2 packed cup fresh dill, 3 medium crushed garlic cloves, 3 medium anchovy filets, 2 coarsely chopped medium scallions, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons caper juice, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until very smooth. It’s ok if the herbs aren’t fully blended.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil; cook 1 lb cascatelli or other short, toothy pasta according to the box directions, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Pour the dressing into the bowl with the warm pasta and toss everything to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high in a large skillet until shimmering. Add 3 coarsely chopped medium scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Add 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are charred and the zucchini is browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons capers and continue to cook, 1 minute longer.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the pasta; toss to combine. Chill the pasta for at least an hour, but even better, covered in the refrigerator overnight.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
When ready to serve, make the red pepper gremolata by stirring together 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Add 1 cup packed baby arugula arugula to the bowl with pasta and toss to combine; transfer to a serving plate or bowl.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
Tear 2 large balls burrata and scatter across the top. Sprinkle with the red pepper gremolata, and serve.

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

How To Store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Embrace the green!—Add different or even more green veggies of your choosing. Try to stick with the season and embrace the fresh ingredients.
Add protein—Turn this into a main dish by adding a little protein like a can of drained chickpeas, chunks of tuna fish, cubed and seared tofu, or shredded/chopped chicken.
Make it gluten free—Make this gluten free by swapping the pasta with your favorite gluten-free option.
Use a different cheese—Try adding crumbled feta cheese for a bit of salty creaminess or blue cheese for a little funk.
Give it some heat—Add Calabrian chili, pickled jalapeños, or peperoncini for more heat.
Change up the veggies—Mix and match the veggies to suit your tastes. Go for crunchy veggies like celery, cabbage, radishes, bell pepper, and cucumber.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
181	Calories
14g	Fat
6g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	181
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 7g	35%
Cholesterol 41mg	14%
Sodium 865mg	38%
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 14mg	71%
Calcium 212mg	16%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 231mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.