Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Easy cold Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing is a simple, light summer meal recipe and it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

This easy, creamy pasta salad would also be great for lunch, and it would be awesome for a picnic or even to take to a neighborhood cookout or barbecue.

This yummy pasta salad is loaded with fresh cherry tomatoes, salty bacon, and a surprise ingredient, tangy goat cheese. And, as if that wasn’t enough deliciousness, it’s topped with a flavorful green goddess dressing filled with fresh, pungent basil and parsley.

Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing only takes minutes to prepare and is one of those dishes that is even better the next day. This pasta dish is also versatile, and you could easily add some additional fresh veggies to ramp up the nutritional value.

Or, if you are really short on time, you could substitute purchased prepared ranch or Italian dressing, for the green goddess dressing. Another option would be to add an avocado to the green goddess dressing, which would really send it over the top!

If you like this recipe, you might also like these delicious and easy salad recipes: Summer Garden Pasta Salad, Shrimp Cobb Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad.

The ingredients for this Pasta Salad are simple and include pasta, olive oil, regular or cherry tomatoes, bacon and fresh basil. The Green Goddess dressing ingredients include mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, anchovy paste, scallions, garlic, basil, parsley, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper.

When you are ready to make this delicious Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, gather your ingredients.

How to make Cold Pasta Salad

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package to the al dente stage and drain.

Cook bacon until brown and crispy and drain. Chop.

Add pasta, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, and bacon to a large bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss gently. Set aside.

How to make Green Goddess Dressing

To make the Green Goddess Dressing add all dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

How to assemble Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Add one cup dressing to the pasta salad and toss gently. Reserve the remaining dressing and add if the pasta salad looks dry before serving.

Store the pasta salad covered in the refrigerator.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to rate it and leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

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Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Sharon Rigsby

Pasta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing is loaded with fresh cherry tomatoes, salty bacon, and a surprise ingredient, tangy goat cheese. And, if that isn't enough deliciousness, it's topped with a flavorful green goddess dressing filled with fresh, pungent basil and parsley.

5 from 2 votes

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 288 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Pasta Salad Ingredients:

• ▢ 16 ounces uncooked pasta (I used Torcetti, but you can use whatever pasta you like.)
• ▢ 2 pints cherry tomatoes sliced or 3 large regular tomatoes cut into cubes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped or torn fresh basil
• ▢ 8 slices bacon
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

Green Goddess Dressing Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ ¼ cup sour cream
• ▢ ¼ cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ cup fresh basil
• ▢ ½ cup fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 scallion white and green parts, thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions

 

Pasta Salad Directions:

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package to the al dente stage and drain.
• Cook bacon until brown and crispy and drain. Chop.
• Add pasta, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, and bacon to a large bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss gently. Set aside.

Green Goddess Dressing Directions

• Add all dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Assembly

• Add one cup dressing to the pasta salad and toss gently. Reserve the remaining dressing and add if the pasta salad looks dry before you serve it. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 10gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 748mgPotassium: 442mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2350IUVitamin C: 38.8mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2.3mg

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