Green Goddess Pasta Salad: tender pasta tossed with peas, olives & cherry tomatoes in a creamy, herbaceous Green Goddess dressing-ready in minutes!
If you are ready to freshen up old-school macaroni salad, this Green Goddess Pasta Salad dressed in its namesake's creamy dressing is an easy variation to try.
This pasta salad features tender pasta, juicy tomatoes, salty olives, and sweet green peas, all tossed in the famous Green Goddess dressing, which boasts a tangy flavor and a vibrant green color.
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, as it pairs well with grilled foods, sandwiches, and baked chicken and fish.
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Why This Is the Best Green Goddess Pasta Salad!
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 classic macaroni salad.
In most recipes, the best pasta salads have a small variety of ingredients that complement each other well. So, I keep this salad simple with just 4 ingredients, cooked pasta, sweet cherry tomatoes, salty black olives, sweet and grassy green peas, plus the dressing, which is the star of this dish.
The iconic Green Goddess Dressing is made with mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh parsley, and chives, along with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, resulting in a tangy, herbal dressing bursting with flavor. With its complex flavors, you can keep the salad ingredients few and simple.
With its sweet, salty, creamy, and tangy flavors, this could be your new favorite pasta salad.
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this Green Goddess Pasta Salad recipe:
- Cooked Pasta - I prefer using bow tie pasta, also known as farfalle. But any shaped or tubular pasta will work, like fusilli or rotini, penne, ditalini, orecchiette, small shells, or Gemelli pasta. You can also use rigatoni if it is the smaller "cut" type.
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing - I prefer homemade green goddess dressing, but you can use your favorite store-bought brand.
- Green Peas - Thawed, frozen peas are the best for making salads. They are perfectly safe to eat without cooking and have a fresh grassy but sweet taste.
- Sliced Black Olives - These are canned and already sliced black olives.
- Halved Cherry Tomatoes - Very small cherry tomatoes distributed evenly through the salad and bring bright acidity and color to the salad.
Not Shown: Cold water and plain salt for boiling the pasta.
Optional Garnishes: Fresh herbs to garnish the salad, like torn basil leaves. You can also plate the salad on a bed of fresh spinach, salad greens, or arugula.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
How to Make Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Prepare the Pasta. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the al dente pasta and rinse it with cold water. Put the cooled pasta into a large bowl.
Dress the Pasta. Add green goddess salad dressing and gently toss to thoroughly coat the pasta.
Add Salad Ingredients. Gently fold in peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes.
Serve and Enjoy. 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
- Baked Chicken
- 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.
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.
- Add Lemon Juice - If you are using a store-bought bottled Green Goddess Dressing, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will brighten the flavor of the dressing.
- Substitute your Favorite Vegetables - You can also use your favorite veggies in this salad. Good choices are cooked asparagus, avocado, cooked broccoli, cucumbers, cooked green beans, scallions, and blanched snap peas.
- 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
You can make Green Goddess Pasta Salad in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. 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.
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 the salad out in warm weather.
If you make my version of Green Goddess Salad Dressing with Miracle Whip, you can freeze this pasta salad for later use.
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.
♡ Did you love this Green Goddess Pasta Salad? Please leave a star rating and a comment. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Green Goddess Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- ½ Pound Pasta, Farfalle, Fusilli, 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
- Prepare the Pasta. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the al dente pasta and rinse it with cold water. Put the cooled pasta into a large bowl.The yield should be approximately 4 cups of cooked pasta.½ Pound Pasta
- Dress the Pasta. Add ¾ cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing and gently toss to thoroughly coat the pasta.¾ Cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing
- Add Salad Ingredients. Gently fold in peas, sliced black olives, and halved cherry tomatoes.1 Cup Green Peas, 1 Cup Sliced Black Olives, 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
- Serve and Enjoy. Spoon the pasta salad into a serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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