Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Prep 30 min
Total 30 min
Servings 6

You could easily call this salad “summer in a bowl”! Made with peas, avocado, spinach and herbs, it has the kind of bright flavor that really refreshes on hot summer days and a laid-back preparation to match. Tailor the stir-ins to your own tastes by using the herbs you like, or the ones you have on hand. You’ll find green goddess is amenable to most any herb—though chives, parsley and tarragon are considered classics—and don’t forget the lemon juice, garlic and creamy ingredients (mayo and sour cream) that give this dressing its bright and creamy flavor. The combination of green goddess, pasta and protein-rich ingredients—like chick peas and spinach—make this a one-dish dinner you’ll want to eat on repeat. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated April 23, 2019

Make with

Suddenly Salad

Ingredients

box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix

1/4

cup mayonnaise

1/4

cup sour cream

tablespoons lemon juice

1/4

teaspoon garlic powder

1/4

teaspoon salt

can (19 oz) Progresso™ chick peas, drained, rinsed (about 1 3/4 cups)

cup coarsely chopped baby spinach

1/2

cup frozen sweet peas, cooked as directed on bag, cooled

small avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)

tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

tablespoons chopped fresh chives

tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Steps

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1

Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
2

In large bowl, stir together seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt to make dressing.
3

Add pasta, chick peas, spinach, peas, avocado, parsley, chives and basil to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Expert Tips

For food safety purposes, frozen sweet peas must be cooked before adding to pasta salad. Or substitute sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Prep ingredients ahead of time, and refrigerate so everything can be assembled quickly. Or make the salad a couple of hours ahead of time, and refrigerate until ready to serve. If necessary, stir in a few teaspoons of milk to moisten the salad before serving. You’ll also want to wait until just before serving to add your avocado.
Great northern or cannellini beans make great substitutes for chick peas. Chick peas or beans can also be replaced with chopped cooked chicken.
Feel free to increase the amount of fresh herbs, or substitute the amount called for with the herbs you prefer. Though not called for in this recipe, tarragon is considered a classic in green goddess dressing and is commonly available in the summertime and early fall.
Anchovies are another classic ingredient in green goddess dressing. They can add depth of flavor, like in a Caesar dressing. If you like anchovies and would like to include them, remember their flavor is intense, so start with less and add more, as needed.