Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable Version)

Creamy herb-packed pasta sauce with avocado, basil, and lemon. A fresh vegetarian meal ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fresh Herbs

01 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
02 - ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
03 - ¼ cup fresh chives, snipped
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon (optional)

→ Sauce Base

05 - 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
06 - ½ cup Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ 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 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

# Directions:

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 ½ 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 to a food processor or blender. Process on high until the mixture is completely smooth and a vibrant green color throughout.
03 - Taste the blended sauce and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes as desired. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time while blending 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 smooth, glossy finish.
05 - Divide among plates and serve immediately. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It genuinely tastes like something you would order at a trendy cafe, but it comes together with pantry staples and a blender in minutes.
  • The avocado makes it luxuriously creamy without a single drop of heavy cream, so you can go back for seconds without that heavy sinking feeling.
02 -
  • The sauce darkens and loses its bright green color after a few hours in the fridge, so if you are making it ahead, press plastic wrap directly against the surface and know that the flavor will still be wonderful even if the color dulls.
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, because without it you will end up with a thick paste instead of a sauce that gracefully coats every bite.
03 -
  • Use the best avocado you can find and taste it before blending, because a brown or stringy avocado will ruin the texture and color no matter how perfectly you season everything else.
  • Blend the herbs and liquids first before adding the avocado, then pulse gently, because overprocessing avocado can make it gummy and slightly bitter instead of smooth and buttery.

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