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    Home » Recipes » Fresh Salads

    Green Goddess Pasta Salad

    Updated: Dec 8, 2023 · Published: May 30, 2018 · by Jan Nunes

    A collage of making pasta salad plus a white plate with pasta salad and a fork with text overlay.
    A collage of making pasta salad plus a clear bowl filled with colorful pasta salad with text overlay.
    A white plate with colorful pasta salad with text overlay.
    A clear bowl filled with green goddess pasta salad with a red checked napkin and text overlay.

    Green Goddess Pasta Salad with tangy clean herbal notes is an easy variation on old-school macaroni salad with a creamy dressing. 

    This pasta salad contains tender pasta, juicy tomatoes, salty olives, and sweet green peas tossed in the famous Green Goddess dressing that has a tangy flavor and a vibrant green color

    A clear bowl of Green Goddess Pasta Salad made with bow tie pasta with a red and white checked napkin.
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    Even better, this delicious pasta salad is made in minutes and is the perfect side dish for busy days, hot summer days, or a summer BBQ because it goes so well with grilled foods, sandwiches, and baked chicken and fish.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • What to Serve with Green Goddess Pasta Salad
    • My Top Tip
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Delicious Salads
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why This Recipe Works

    Sometimes I need a bright and fresh taste on the table and this pasta salad is what I make. It is the perfect twist when you want to shake up and freshen up creamy macaroni salad.

    To me, the best pasta salad has a small variety of ingredients that play well off each other. So, I keep this salad simple with just 4 ingredients, cooked pasta, sweet cherry tomatoes, salty black olives, and green peas plus the dressing which is the star of this dish.

    The iconic Green Goddess Dressing contains mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh parsley, and chives with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce which makes a tangy herbal dressing bursting with flavor.

    With its sweet, salty, creamy, and tangy flavors, this could be your new favorite pasta salad.

    So, let's cook!

    Ingredients

    The ingredients, clockwise from top right: green goddess salad dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, green peas, and cooked pasta.

    Here's what you need to make this green goddess pasta salad recipe:

    • Cooked Pasta - Any shaped or tubular pasta will work like farfalle, rotini, penne, ditalini, orecchiette, small shells, or Gemelli pasta.
    • Green Goddess Salad Dressing - I like to make my own, but you can use your favorite brand.
    • Green Peas - Thawed, frozen peas are the best for making salads. They are perfectly safe to eat without cooking and have a fresh sweet taste.
    • Sliced Black Olives - These are canned and already sliced black olives.
    • Halved Cherry Tomatoes - Very small cherry tomatoes distribute evenly through the salad and bring bright acidity and color to the salad mixture.

    Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Process Photo 1 - Cooked pasta is in a large mixing bowl.

    Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Put the cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl.

    Process Photo 2 - Green goddess dressing is mixed with the pasta in a large bowl.

    Add green goddess salad dressing and gently stir to thoroughly coat the pasta.

    Process Photo 3a - Green peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes are added to the pasta and dressing.
    Process Photo 3b - The salad is mixed completely mixed together in a large bowl.

    Gently fold in peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes.

    Green Goddess Pasta Salad made with bow tie pasta in a clear bowl with a red and white checked napkin.

    Spoon the pasta salad into a serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    What to Serve with Green Goddess Pasta Salad

    • Hamburgers
    • Sandwiches and Paninis
    • Hot Wings
    • BBQ Ribs
    • Fried Chicken
    • Grilled Hot Dogs
    • BBQ Chicken
    • Baked Salmon

    My Top Tip

    ♡ Pasta typically absorbs mayonnaise-based dressings over time. If making this salad several hours before serving, check the salad for dryness at serving time and add additional salad dressing, cream, or milk as needed to moisten the salad.

    Green Goddess Pasta Salad made with bow tie pasta plated with a fork.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Add Marinated Artichokes - Chopped marinated artichokes are super delicious and a great addition to this salad. You can add up to 1 cup.
    • Add Cheese - Some people like cheese in this salad. You can add up to 1 cup of shredded cheese. Good choices are white cheeses like Monterey Jack and Swiss.
    • Substitute Sun-Dried Tomatoes - If small cherry tomatoes are not available you can substitute oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes that have been thoroughly drained, chopped, or sliced.
    • Substitute Tortellini - Instead of plain pasta, you can substitute cheese tortellini to make a Green Goddess Tortellini Salad.
    • Add Feta Cheese - Cubes of creamy feta cheese are a delicious addition to this pasta salad.
    • Add Nuts - If you love a little crunch in your salad you can add chopped pecans or pine nuts.
    • Add Cooked Chicken - To turn this into a main course salad add 2 cups of cooked chicken that is diced or shredded on top of the pasta salad.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make it in advance?

    You can make Green Goddess Pasta Salad in advance. Over time the salad will tighten because the pasta will absorb much of the moisture in the dressing. Remoisten the salad with a small amount of heavy cream, half and half, or milk.

    How do I store leftover Green Goddess Pasta Salad?

    Store it in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator. Because this is a mayonnaise-based salad promptly refrigerate any leftovers and do not leave it out in warm weather.

    Can I freeze it?

    If you make my version of Green Goddess Salad Dressing with Miracle Whip, you can freeze this pasta salad.

    However, if you use mayonnaise to make the dressing or purchase a bottled dressing you won't be able to freeze it as the dressing will separate when frozen.

    A close-up view of Green Goddess Pasta Salad made with bow tie pasta in a clear bowl with a red and white checked napkin.

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    📖 Recipe

    A white plate with Green Goddess Pasta Salad and a fork.

    Green Goddess Pasta Salad

    5 from 3 votes
    By: Jan Nunes
    Green Goddess Pasta Salad has pasta, green peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes tossed with tangy green goddess dressing.
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    Prep Time ~ 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time ~ 12 minutes minutes
    Total Time ~ 27 minutes minutes
    Servings ~ 8 Servings
    Calories ~ 369kcal
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    Ingredients
     

    Pasta Salad:

    • ½ Pound Pasta, Farfalle, Rotini, Penne, Ditalini, Orecchiette, or Small Shells.
    • ¾ Cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing
    • 1 Cup Green Peas
    • 1 Cup Sliced Black Olives
    • 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, Halved

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Put the cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl.
      The yield should be approximately 4 cups of cooked pasta.
      ½ Pound Pasta
    • Add ¾ cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing and gently stir to thoroughly coat the pasta.
      ¾ Cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing
    • Gently fold in peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes.
      1 Cup Green Peas, 1 Cup Sliced Black Olives, 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
    • Spoon the pasta salad into a serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Notes

    Pasta typically absorbs mayonnaise-based dressings over time. If making this salad several hours before serving, check the salad for dryness at serving time and add additional salad dressing, cream, or milk as needed to moisten the salad.
    Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Because this is a mayonnaise-based salad promptly refrigerate any leftovers and do not leave it out in warm weather.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 15.8mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1.2mg

    Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

    Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.

    © 2018-2025 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.

    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American

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    About Jan Nunes

    Jan is the creator and owner of Encharted Cook. Her cooking and baking journey began more than 50 years ago and she specializes in showing how recipes and ingredients can work together and why. At Encharted Cook you can rely on proven recipes and take your cooking and baking up to the next level.

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    Jan Nunes

    Hey There!

    Welcome to Encharted Cook! I'm Jan, a seasoned cook with recipe charts, pro tips, and ideas to help you make delicious dinners. Over the years I've learned that many recipes are related... and if you learn to make one delicious dish, you can make many more!

    more about Jan

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