Vibrant pasta salad with cucumber, fresh herbs, and creamy avocado-yogurt dressing. Light, refreshing, and ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, rotini, or penne)
02 - Salt for boiling water
→ Vegetables & Herbs
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
→ Green Goddess Dressing
08 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
09 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons water for thinning
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled completely, then set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocado, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, adding water gradually until you reach a creamy, pourable consistency.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, chopped spinach, parsley, chives, and basil.
04 - Pour the green goddess dressing over the pasta mixture. Gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Sample the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt or fresh lemon juice as needed.
06 - Serve immediately for peak freshness, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Garnish with additional fresh herbs before serving if desired.
