Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Green Goddess Salad dressing in a cruet.

This goddess dressing is no wallflower. It’s punchy and bright with a spicy tingle at the end. I’ll show you how to make this green goddess salad dressing at home in minutes with a mini food processor or blender. Use this easy recipe as a salad dressing or as a green goddess sauce for dips, or as a spread for sandwiches and burgers.

ingredients to make green goddess salad dressing.

Where did the original Green Goddess dressing recipe come from?

100 years ago (give or take), Chef Philip Roemer of The Palace Hotel created this creamy, pungent dressing in a nod to the stage actor, George Arliss, who starred as the villain (Raja) in the play Green Goddess.

The original Green goddess dressing recipe used chives and parsley with white vinegar, sour cream and mayonnaise. However, the dressing has evolved in the years since, being augmented with additional herbs and lightened up with everything from yogurt and tofu to avocado.

Newsletter Signup
Join our community of food lovers!

Get my latest recipes, helpful kitchen tips and more good things each week in your inbox.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Salad Dressing:

  • Scallions
  • Garlic
  • Lemon
  • Italian Parsley
  • Fresh Tarragon
  • Chives
  • Cilantro
  • Mayonnaise
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Kosher Salt
  • Anchovies
  • Black Pepper
roughly chopping scallions and garlic, and zesting a lemon.

How to make Goddess Dressing:

  1. Roughly chop the scallions, herbs, garlic and anchovies.
  2. Zest and juice the lemon and set aside.
  3. Add the chopped scallions, herbs lemon zest and juice, half of the mayonnaise, cayenne pepper and salt to a mini food processor or blender.
  4. Pulse several times to finely mince the ingredients and combine them. Add the anchovies and pulse again.
  5. Transfer the dressing to a bowl and stir in the remaining mayonnaise and black pepper.
  6. Cover and refrigerate.

Wondering why I reserve half of the mayonnaise and pepper to stir in at the end? I’ll tell you. Green Goddess salad dressing can be a bit thin, but I’ve found that by quickly whisking in mayonnaise after blending, it helps give the dressing more body and thickness.

Additionally, I don’t process fresh ground pepper in a blender or food processor because the blades can actually further break down the grinds of pepper and make the dressing too hot. Best to add the black pepper at the end.

anchovies, mayonnaise and Greek yogurt for the recipe.

Will the green goddess dressing thicken in the refrigerator?

Yes, it does thicken a bit after chilling, but it isn’t super thick like a blue cheese dressing.

Italian parsley, tarragon, chives and cilantro.
Cilantro, Chives, Tarragon and Parsley

Swaps and Variations:

  • Don’t have (or like) anchovies? Swap for 1½ teaspoons of worcestershire sauce or ¾ teaspoon of nam pla (fish sauce).
  • Want to lighten up the Green Goddess salad dressing? Swap a cup of silken tofu for the mayonnaise.
  • Add an avocado to the dressing and blend the dressing to a green-er Goddess.
blending the Green Goddess salad dressing in a food processor.

How to use Green Goddess salad dressing

First, don’t think of this recipe as just a salad dressing. Green Goddess is way more than that.

  • It’s the special sauce that can brighten up sandwiches, burgers and pasta salads.
  • It’s the vibrant dip that takes plain veggies and crudite to the next level.
  • Try Green Goddess as a chip dip instead of store bought onion dip.
Spooning out Goddess dressing from a jar.

FAQ’s

How long will Green Goddess dressing last in the refrigerator?

It’s good for 3-5 days when kept in a sealed jar, but I think it’s best on the first day. The herbs are brighter and fresher on day one, the flavors intensify over the course of a few days.

Can I use dried herbs.

No. It’s the fresh herbs that make this dressing special and give it that pale, verdant hue associated with Green Goddess dressing.

Can I use other herbs in this dressing?

Yes, though tarragon and chives are a must in my opinion. Try fresh chopped thyme or maybe a teaspoon or two of mint. If adding basil, you’ll want to use most of the dressing the same day as it doesn’t last as long. Avoid rosemary as the flavor is overpowering.

a cruet of Green Goddess salad dressing with a garnish of fresh chives.

More creamy dressing recipes:

Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and review.

Your comments and shares are invaluable to me and the thousands of readers who use this site daily. If you've made the recipe, leave a star rating and review. We want to hear how you liked it.

We'd love it if you shared the recipe with your friends on social media!

Green Goddess dressing in a cruet.
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Real Green Goddess salad dressing is creamy and lush with a punch of herbal flavors and a bit of a kick. Use this homemade herb sauce to dress salads, as a dip with chips or crudite or as your special sauce for sandwiches or to drizzle on chicken, pork and seafood. The ways to use it are endless.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Condiments
Cuisine American
Keyword herb dressing
Dietary Restrictions Egg Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

  • blender or food processor
  • microplane zester

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 scallions white and pale green parts, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic roughly chopped, about 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • cup Italian parsley roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chives roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise divided
  • ¼ cup Greek Yogurt
  • scant ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon Morton’s
  • 2 anchovies roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  • Into the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine the scallions, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, tarragon, chives, cilantro, 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, cayenne pepper and kosher salt.
  • Pulse several times until the dressing is pale green and the herbs are finely minced.
  • Add the anchovies and pulse several more times until to process fine.
  • Transfer the dressing to a bowl and stir in the remainder of the mayonnaise and the black pepper until smooth. Cover and refrigerate the Green Goddess sauce for several hours so the flavors marry and the sauce thickens slightly.
  • Serve as a salad dressing, dip or sauce with other things.

RECIPE VIDEO:

YouTube video

NUTRITION:

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 418IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

Pin it for later!

a pin to save for later.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments

  1. Elizabeth R. says:

    5 stars
    This green goddess dressing recipe is so fresh, creamy and light. It’s perfect with a simple Boston bibb salad. I make it all the time.

  2. Marie-Christine says:

    5 stars
    The difference in cost and taste to the bottled dressings is amazing! I will NEVER buy bottled dressings! Definitely going to add this to my current repertoire of homemade: Caesar, vinaigrette and ranch!