Simple Green Goddess Pasta Salad.
If you are looking for a healthier pasta salad option, how about this Green Goddess salad? It comes together quickly, is loaded with a lot of healthy green veggies, and has a dressing made of fresh herbs and Greek yogurt. I promise you do not want to miss this salad!
Why Do Vegetables Matter In Our Diets?
Vegetables are an important part of our diets, but why exactly is that? All vegetables provide nutrients that help with maintaining a healthy body. I included asparagus, green peas, and spinach in this salad, which are all great for your body. Asparagus has many nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, K, and E, potassium, and fiber. Spinach is full of carotenoids, iron, fiber, and calcium. Green peas contain fiber and antioxidants, and some research from PubMed Central has proved they reduce the risk for heart disease and cancer.
Ingredients In The Simple Green Goddess Pasta Salad
- Pasta- any variety would work well with this. I used spirals because they were so beautiful against the green veggies
- Green vegetables of choice- I went with spinach, cucumber, broccoli, asparagus, green peas, and artichokes
- Green goddess dressing- this dressing is healthy, made with mainly nonfat plain Greek yogurt which is high in protein, olive oil, and filled with a variety of fresh healthy herbs.
Prepping The Vegetables
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is preparing the vegetables. I lightly roasted the asparagus for this. cut it into sections, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper on it, and put it in a hot oven for about 5 minutes. I like to blanch my broccoli, which isn't necessary but it makes the broccoli beautiful and vibrant. Simply drop the florets into boiling water for a minute or two, and then put them immediately into ice water. The reason for blanching is to help to give them that beautiful green color.
Cooking The Pasta
Start by dropping the pasta of choice into lightly salted boiling water. Mix the pasta to make sure doesn't stick together as the pasta releases starches. if it isn't mixed, especially in the beginning, it tends to stick together. Make sure to not overcook the pasta. You want the pasta to be al dente, firm to the taste.
Green Goddess Salad Dressing
The simplest way to make this dressing is to throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Pulse until it is smooth, you don't want chunks of herbs in this. This dressing is very simple to put together, and I like to use it for a variety of different salads.
Assembling The Simple Green Goddess Salad
You have finished all the hard work, assembling the salad now will be easy. Put all of your ingredients into a bowl and drizzle it generously with the green goddess dressing. Now, mix to make sure everything is coated. I use a rubber spatula so I don't break up the vegetables or the pasta. One of the best parts about this salad is its ease of assembly!
This salad is a great recipe to save for days when you don't feel like cooking a lot or want a quick delicious meal. This is a great summertime salad or picnic addition, or just a side for a family dinner.
I also posted a Green Goddess Sandwich I recommend you try. It is another simple recipe loaded with healthy goods. If you are a salad person- which I certainly am, how about this yummy Fruit Salad With Microgreens? It is so fresh and so good! If you have never tried sprouted lentils, you could try them and make this Asian Slaw with them. Or if you are looking for another simple, pasta-type salad, how about this Couscous Salad with fresh veggies?
Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½-3/4 cup dry pasta of choice
- 6 cups vegetables of choice I used asparagus, broccoli, cucumbers,green peas, spinach, and artichoke hearts. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Read below for prepping ideas.
Dressing
- 1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt, or full fat
- 2 tablespoons mayo This isn't a must, but I think it makes the dressing so much creamier
- 1- 1 ¼ cup fresh herbs of choice I used a mix of basil, thyme, and parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add you pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Mix occasionally until the pasta is cooked al dente- you don't want mushy pasta. While the pasta is cooking, cut asparagus unto 2-3 inch pieces, making sure to cut off the tough ends. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and into the oven for about 5 minutes. Drain your pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.I like to blanch my broccoli, but it isn't necessary. If you want to blanch, read along, if not, skip this part. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Fill another medium sized-bowl with about 4 cups with about ½ cup ice. Add your broccoli florets to the boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain and quickly place in the ice water for about 5 minutes. Drain well. and maybe even pat dry if you need to. Add you ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Just a note- if you like a lot of dressing on your salad, you may want to double this. I go fairly light. Place all your ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. This salad is delicious served right away, but also holds well for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!