green goddess pasta salad
an internet admiration turned personal salad success story
This week’s experiment is inspired by and heavily borrows from Melissa Clark’s Green Goddess Pasta Salad. See my thought process below on the tweaks I made as I attempted to recreate a delicious recipe that more aligns with my own flavor palette:
First off, I love a hearty salad that has enough greens and veggies to make me feel healthy plus a handful of delicious carbs to keep me feeling full through my afternoon post-caffeine slump. Count. Me. In.
Second, the pre-packaged cheese and spinach raviolis are an incredible thought in both efficiency and execution, although it took me a while to track down a package at the grocery store. I would’ve never thought of this ingredient. Of course, some regular pasta would also work here, but the cheesy tortellini stuffing took it right over the top in the best way!
Third, I love a flexible game plan. This one delivers and can handle just about any produce you throw at it! Don’t like zucchini? Skip it and sub in chopped blanched green beans. Missing a fennel bulb? Go for a few stalks of celery for the crunch and add in a few more fresh herbs to replace that delicious flavor. Really – most anything can work within this dressing, and you’re tossing it with cheesy tortellini so what could go wrong? Maybe your fridge is stocked with broccoli, cucumbers, and spinach? Those are all great options, too!
Finally, I love leaning on another inspiring creator like Melissa through these journeys. It’s encouraging to see the flavors and ingredients that someone else is drawn to, and only in my own practice am I able to decide if my personal preferences align with the original intent. Either way, I always learn something new in each kitchen endeavor. Whether it’s a new ingredient combination I’d never thought of before or an absolute flavor failure, each time I’m in the kitchen I get a bit closer to the truth of my own palette (which somehow always leans on another squeeze of lemon and another pinch of salt).
I highly recommend attempting recipes in this manner: by finding other creators whose recipes and flavors you enjoy, leaning on those who know better than you, and learning to trust your own creativity. You’ll quickly learn that baking recipes probably aren’t best for amateur experimentation (at least until you recognize the sciences happening in your oven), but will come to understand the freedom in replacing ingredients or altering ratios in most other recipes. If you read a recipe that contains fennel (like the salad below) but you just can’t get on board1 – substitute it with something that makes you truly excited to dive in. After all, the whole point of cooking is to feed yourself with things you enjoy…so get in there, make something that entices you, and then share it with someone you love. Relish that culinary creativity and personal connection and I’ll see you next week for another inspiration starter. Leave your thoughts in the chat! ~L
INGREDIENTS
8 oz packaged cheese + spinach tortellini
8 oz baby arugula
8 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1” logs
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced and cut into quarters
4-6 oz english peas
1 cup chopped sugar-snap peas in shell
1 lemon, zested and juiced plus more juice to taste
1 fennel bulb with fronds, tough outer layers removed2
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 packed cup basil leaves
1/4 c packed coarsely chopped chives
2 tbsp packed parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
4 scallions, both green and white parts
4 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Parmesan Reggiano, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a pot of heavily salted water, cook the tortellini according to package instructions, but leave on the al dente side. Drain tortellini, reserving one cup of salted, starchy pasta water.3
Make the dressing: chop fennel fronds to make 1/4 piled cup. Put the chopped fronds in a food processor and add greek yogurt, sour cream, fresh herbs, garlic, 2 scallions, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing. Add more salt, lemon juice, or white wine vinegar (or all three) if needed until the flavors feel fully intensified.4
Toss the cooled pasta with enough dressing to coat. Let pasta cool in the dressing.
Thinly slice remaining 2 scallions and add to bowl with tortellini. Toss in the sliced fennel bulb, chopped sugar snap peas, asparagus logs, and english peas. Drizzle with more dressing and toss again, if needed.
To Serve: gently toss pasta salad with a few handfuls of arugula (don’t do this too soon or it’ll get soggy!) Drizzle with more olive oil and fresh lemon juice and grind more fresh pepper and Parmesan Reggiano on top. Enjoy!
But you have to give things a chance –– try anything once or twice before you nix them entirely from your repertoire!
Set aside a small pile of the fronds before processing them – chop them finely and they make a fantastic garnish!
This pasta water is key –– it will help your sauce cling to your pasta so you get that dressing in every bite! Reserve a full cup, but know that you might only use a few splashes to get the right consistency.
Remember that each ingredient here enhances every other ingredient; the goal with our salt and acid here is to fully realize the flavors and bring them harmoniously together. It takes more of each than you think, and you’ll know before you go overboard. Season, taste, adjust, taste again, season some more, taste, taste, taste. This is fun!