Vegan Creamy Green Goddess (Printer-Friendly)

A vibrant vegan pasta tossed with creamy green goddess dressing, fresh peas, basil, and crisp vegetables.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta such as fusilli, rotini, or shells
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
07 - 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced

→ Creamy Green Goddess Dressing

08 - 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
09 - 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon or extra parsley
14 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 small garlic clove
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced
20 - 1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds, optional

# How to Cook:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine vegan mayonnaise, plant-based yogurt, basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, peas, cucumber, spinach, radishes, and scallions.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste salad and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt, lemon juice, or fresh herbs.
06 - Transfer salad to serving platter or bowl. Top with sliced basil and toasted sunflower seeds if desired.
07 - Serve immediately for best texture, or chill for 1 to 2 hours for enhanced flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely creamy without any dairy, which means you can actually taste every herb instead of cream drowning everything out.
  • You can make it ahead and it gets better after sitting in the fridge, so it's perfect for meal prep or bringing to gatherings.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you could throw this together on a Tuesday night without any fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the pasta under cold water—hot pasta will wilt the spinach and make everything mushy, which defeats the whole fresh and crunchy thing.
  • The dressing needs those fresh herbs to taste like anything special, so if you're tempted to use dried herbs, just know it'll taste like a totally different, less interesting salad.
03 -
  • Juice your lemon by rolling it hard on the counter first—it releases more juice and makes your dressing brighter.
  • If you're making this hours ahead, underdress it slightly and keep extra dressing on the side to refresh it right before serving, because the pasta does absorb quite a bit.
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