Mystical Green Goddess Dressing – A Spicy Perspective
Green Goddess Dressing – A DIVINE classic salad dressing that tastes creamy, perfectly fresh, salty, and slightly tangy. This fabulous recipe takes just 5 minutes and is even easy to make vegan!
Why We Love This Recipe
Green Goddess… The most mysterious of salad dressings. What exactly makes it green? What is that flavor I love, but can’t pinpoint? (Pssst.. the secret is just the right amount of anchovy and tarragon!)
And why does it make everything else taste so flipping good? That last question is a bit harder to answer with words alone, so you are just going to have to make a batch and see for yourself!
This worship-worthy Green Goddess Dressing recipe is a snap to prepare in only 5 minutes with less than a dozen ingredients. Simply toss everything into a blender, puree, and serve! It really could not be any easier to make a creamy, vibrant dressing that adds a big punch of flavor to any salad.
Ingredients You Need
- Mayonnaise – regular or low fat (and vegan if you prefer an entirely plant-based Green Goddess Dressing)
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed, no bottled stuff
- Garlic – whole cloves
- Anchovy paste – or substitute packed capers to make vegan
- Fresh herbs – parsley, green onions, tarragon, and dill
- Salt and pepper – to taste
Don’t see your favorite herb? Swap in fresh basil, cilantro, chives, or mint.
How to Make Green Goddess Dressing
This is an easy no-cook no-bowl blender recipe that honestly doesn’t feel like a recipe at all. I mean, you don’t even need to chop anything beforehand! (If you don’t own a blender, you can also use a food processor.)
In a large blender add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic clove…
… anchovy paste, fresh parsley, and scallions…
… fresh tarragon leaves, dill, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
Get the Complete (Printable) Green Goddess Dressing Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Cover and purée until smooth. Taste, then add additional salt and pepper if needed, then blend again to combine.
Serve immediately, or move to an airtight container and chill until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Green Goddess Salad Dressing is perfect to drizzle over a green salad brimming with your favorite fresh goodies. Pictured here is our favorite combination of lettuces, sugar snap peas, avocado, and chopped pistachios. But of course, feel free to serve on or alongside any salad you like!
It also makes a fabulous dipping sauce for snacks and appetizers! Serve in a ramekin with healthy dippers like carrot and celery sticks, cucumber and bell pepper slices, or any fresh veggies.
You can even use it as a tantalizing dip for roasted potatoes, french fries, or potato chips. Or use it as a sauce over a baked sweet potato or rice dish!
Recipe Variations
- Sub traditional mayo with your preferred plant-based alternative and swap anchovy paste with capers to make a Vegan Green Goddess Dressing.
- Make this a no-mayo Green Goddess Dressing recipe by swapping mayonnaise with sour cream or greek yogurt.
- This dressing is savory, tangy, and salty. Add 1 tsp of sugar to give it a nice sweetness that balances the other flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Green Goddess dressing taste like?
It is salty and a bit savory, but still very fresh and herby with just the right amount of tanginess. The consistency is creamy and rich without being too heavy or thick.
Does Green Goddess dressing contain avocado?
No, this traditional recipe is not made with avocado. Rather, the dressing gets its signature green color from fresh herbs.
Is this a healthy salad dressing recipe?
It depends on what you mean by “healthy.” Because it is made with mayo Green Goddess dressing is higher in fat and calories than, say, a vinaigrette or other thin oil-based dressings. However, it is not unhealthy and does offer a bit of nutrients from the fresh herbs and citrus. You can use low fat mayonnaise to lighten the calorie.
How long can you keep Green Goddess Dressing in the fridge?
Store the dressing in an airtight container and it will keep well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Looking for More Delightful Dressing Recipes?
Mystical Green Goddess Recipe
A DIVINE classic homemade salad dressing that’s creamy, fresh, perfectly salty, and slightly tangy. This fabulous recipe takes just 5 minutes to prepare and is even easy to make with no mayo and vegan!
Servings: 16 servings
- 1 cup mayonnaise could be vegan
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoon anchovy paste or packed capers for vegan
- ¾ cup packed parsley
- ¼ cup scallions
- 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- Salt and pepper
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In a large blender, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic clove, anchovy paste, parsley, scallions, fresh tarragon leaves, dill, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
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Cover and purée until smooth. Taste, then add additional salt and pepper if needed.
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Move to an airtight container and chill until ready to serve.
Sub traditional mayo with your preferred plant-based alternative and swap anchovy paste with capers to make a Vegan Green Goddess Dressing.
No Mayo! If you aren’t a fan of mayonnaise, you can use 1 cup sour cream in this recipe.
Add in 1 tsp of sugar to balance the flavor.
Store the dressing in an airtight container and it will keep well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Serving: 1.5tb, Calories: 103kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 69mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 321IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg
Making this recipe? Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!