If you’re craving a delicious pasta salad that’s creamy, flavorful and packed with nourishing ingredients, this Udo’s Green Goddess Pasta Salad delivers on every level.
Ready in under 30 minutes, we start with tri-color rotini, mixed with crisp veggies like cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, broccoli, and red onion.
We then toss it in a fresh and tangy Green Goddess dressing powered by healthy ingredients like Greek yogurt, avocado, lemon, herbs like parsley, basil and dill, and Udo’s Oil for richness and a boost of healthy omega-3 fats.
It’s so delicious, you’ll want to drizzle it over everything. And you can because it’s healthy. There’s no mayo, no anchovies and no sour cream.
Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe is the perfect make-ahead dish for gatherings, meal prep, or anyone looking for a healthy and flavorful upgrade to their pasta salad. It’s also:
Light and Nutrient-Dense
Traditional Green Goddess dressing is made with mayonnaise and sour cream, but this version gets its creamy texture from avocado, Greek yogurt, and Udo’s Oil for a blend of healthy fats that support digestion and cellular health. Tossed with fiber-rich veggies and packed with vitamins, minerals, and gut-friendly ingredients, this pasta salad is as nourishing as it is delicious.
Easy to Make
This recipe requires minimal prep, and the assembly is no-fuss. It can be ready in under 30 minutes.
Versatile and Customizable
This pasta salad works as a main dish, side, or meal prep staple. And the Udo’s Green Goddess dressing can also be used as a dip or bowl topper. With protein add-ins of your choice, pasta swaps, or extra veggies, it’s easily adapted to suit any dietary need.
Delicious and Vibrant!
Tri-color rotini, a bold green dressing and fresh veggies make this pasta salad pop on the plate. And it tastes even better. With lots of textures and fresh flavors, it’s a dish that will make you forget it’s healthy.
What’s In This Pasta Salad
For this recipe, we start with a large bowl of cooked and cooled tri-color (rainbow) rotini pasta and then add bite-size veggies, including:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Yellow bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Shredded carrots
- Red onion.
Here are the ingredients for Udo’s Green Goddess Salad Dressing for the pasta salad:
Greek Yogurt: Adds protein and probiotics, which support gut health and immunity. If you use low fat, it’s a lighter alternative to mayo or sour cream, with a tangy flavor and cool, creamy texture.
Avocado: Adding velvety texture, they’re also rich in heart-healthy fats that help keep you full longer. They also support skin health and contain fiber to aid digestion.
Apple Cider Vinegar + Lemon Juice: Lemon adds brightness and tang and delivers a dose of vitamin C, which helps support your immune system and healthy skin. ACV helps preserve the green color of the dressing and balances the flavor of the herbs.
Capers: A traditional ingredient in green goddess dressings, these tiny flavor bombs are rich in antioxidants. They also add a salty, briny punch that makes this dressing pop.
Miso: With an umami punch, fermented, plant-based and gut-friendly, miso is the perfect substitute for anchovies (another traditional ingredient in Green Goddess recipes).
Garlic: Contains a natural compound called allicin, which may help lower blood pressure and support heart health. It also adds peppery depth and spicy aroma. This recipe calls for one clove, but add more if you’re a garlic lover.
Honey: Sweetness balances the sharpness of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and capers. If you can’t have honey, use a sugar-free alternative like stevia to taste instead. You can also omit it altogether.
Fresh Herbs: This version of green goddess dressing is made with a combo of parsley, basil, dill and chives. Each herb adds its own unique flavor boost to this dressing and a dash of vitamins like A, C, K.
Udo’s Oil 3•6•9 Blend: Made from cold-pressed flax, sunflower, sesame, coconut, and evening primrose oils, Udo’s Oil, with a rich, nutty flavor, is a functional superfood!
About Udo’s Oil
Formulated by health pioneer Udo Erasmus, this certified organic, plant-based oil blend delivers the ideal 2:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, plus omega-9s for added heart and brain support. Research shows that 90% of us are deficient in omega-3 essential fatty acids.
When our diets are too high in omega-6 fats, it can cause an imbalance. Udo’s Oil is a plant-based way to restore that balance naturally.
Why does it matter? Conventional oils, like soybean, canola, and even some olive oils used in commercial mayonnaise, are processed in ways that strip them of nutrients and introduce harmful compounds that can damage cells.
To learn more, we recently gave a full breakdown of why you should be concerned about processed seed oils.
Udo’s Oil is a clean and tasty alternative to the damaged oils lining most grocery store shelves.
Just like in our Easy Healthy Coleslaw, Rainbow Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce and Banana Cream Protein Shake recipes, Udo’s Oil adds a subtle, nutty richness to this pasta salad without overpowering, making it a perfect match for this herb-forward dip.
Want a healthier way to enjoy the benefits of good fats?
Try Udo’s Oil – A balanced and unrefined blend of omega-3, 6 & 9 from organic seeds that supports energy, brain, and heart health.
How to Make the Udo’s Green Goddess Dressing
Once your pasta is made and chilled and your veggies are chopped all that’s left is making this healthy Green Goddess dressing with Udo’s Oil and Greek yogurt. This dressing is so simple!
The ingredient list might look a little long, but it’s delicious and worth it.
Just pop all the ingredients in the blender or food processor. Then blend until it’s smooth. And you’re done.
See also
If you see little flecks of herbs in your finished dressing, that’s perfectly fine. Creamy is key!
How to Assemble the Pasta Salad
In a large bowl, add the pasta with the chopped veggies, then pour on the dressing, gently toss, and you’re done!
It’s ideal to chill this pasta salad 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor. This allows the flavors to blend and mellow.
Pasta salad always tastes better the next day, making it perfect for entertaining.
To freshen it, just toss with some of the leftover dressing before serving.
Tips and Tricks
How to Make the Perfect Pasta For Cold Salads: Cold pasta dulls flavor, so season the water “salty like the sea” to build a solid flavor foundation. Cook slightly beyond al dente and aim for tender but not mushy. After draining, dunk the pasta into an ice bath to cool quickly and prevent clumping. This keeps the pasta’s texture intact and stops overcooking.
Swap out the Pasta: Gluten-free pasta is a great alternative. Other pasta shapes that would work with this include fusilli, penne, medium shells, or bow-ties (farfalle).
Get Creative With Mix-Ins: There’s so many ways to get creative with this salad.
- Try adding other herbs into the dressing like tarragon, chervil or cilantro.
- Other veggies that would be delicious are fennel, shredded red cabbage, chickpeas or white beans.
- Sunflower seeds, pine nuts or pumpkin seeds would be lovely for crunch.
- For a cheesy addition, try a sprinkling of crumbled feta or goat cheese.
Prep the Veggies Mindfully: Chop everything a similar size for fork-friendly bites.
Garnishing Before Serving: Top with extra fresh herbs and veggies for a beautiful presentation.
Get The Full Recipe!
Udo’s Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Udo’s Green Goddess Pasta Salad is vibrant and creamy, but a lightened twist on a classic. It’s perfect for warm-weather meals or make-ahead lunches. The dressing features Udo’s Oil, a nutrient-rich blend of essential fatty acids that adds a smooth, nutty depth while supporting cellular health and digestion. It’s a feel-good dish that’s as functional as it is flavorful.
- 1 12- ounce box Tri-Color rotini, cooked and chilled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper chopped bite sized
- ¾ cup broccoli florets chopped bite sized
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup red onion finely sliced into 1-2 inch pieces
- Ingredients for the Green Goddess Dressing:
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt whole for richness, nonfat for lightness
- ½ an avocado
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons Udo’s Oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of white miso paste or Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp salt
Making Udo’s Green Goddess Dressing
Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust if needed with more yogurt for added creaminess, more herbs for freshness and add more lemon for brightness.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 1.5 cups.
Assembling the Pasta Salad
Place the pasta and veggies in a large bowl.
Pour 1 cup of dressing over the salad and mix gently.
This pasta salad can be eaten immediately, but for best flavor, let it chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. This allows flavors to blend and settle. Before serving, toss with more leftover dressing to freshen and garnish with more veggies if desired.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Any leftover dressing is perfect for salads, grain bowls, or dipping veggies .
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
➡ Visit FloraHealth.com to order Udo’s Oil 3·6·9 Blend
Better Living uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no cost to you.