Green Goddess Pasta Sauce (Printable)
Creamy avocado and herb sauce with basil, spinach, and lemon tossed with warm pasta for a fresh, vibrant meal.
# What You Need:
→ Sauce Base
01 - 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
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 leaves
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 kosher salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
→ Pasta
15 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or preferred shape)
# 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 cooking water. Drain the pasta through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine the avocado, spinach, basil, chives, parsley, tarragon (if using), garlic, olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a food processor or blender. Process on high until completely smooth and the sauce turns a vibrant, uniform green color.
03 - Stop the processor and taste the sauce. Adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to balance the flavors. Blend again briefly if any adjustments were made.
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 one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency and coats every strand evenly.
05 - Divide the sauced pasta among individual bowls. Finish each portion with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a scattering of freshly chopped herbs, and a light drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means even your hangriest self can handle it.
- That electric green color makes everyone at the table gasp before they even take a bite.
02 -
- If your avocado has brown spots, cut them out completely because they will leave dark streaks through your gorgeous green sauce.
- Saving that pasta water is not optional since the starch is the only thing that turns the sauce from a paste into something that actually clings to the noodles.
03 -
- Blend the herbs and spinach first with the olive oil before adding the avocado, because a smoother herb base means fewer green flecks in the final sauce.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce off the heat so the avocado stays fresh tasting and never turns gummy.