Green Goddess Salad Dressing Recipe

This green goddess salad dressing recipe uses loads of fresh herbs and takes just 10 minutes to make. It gets better as it sits, keeps for up to 2 weeks, and makes enough for a crowd. Make it days ahead of time for Saturday's dinner party.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It's versatile as a dip, sauce, and salad dressing.
• The flavor is creamy, herby, and slightly tangy with a beautiful green tint.
• A clever recipe for a garden bursting with herbs, especially tarragon.
• Make it up to 5 days before your dinner party. It gets better with time.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients to make this green goddess salad dressing recipe!

• Mayonnaise: A common base for the thick, creamy texture. I suggest using regular Hellmann's/Best brand for your mayonnaise. Avoid the lower-fat options, Miracle Whip, or Hellman's Olive Oil mayonnaise. They taste sweeter and more acidic, and change the overall flavor of the dressing.
• Sour Cream: Used for a little tang and thickness in the salad dressing.
• Fresh, Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley: Italian parsley helps bring a herby brightness and green color to the dressing. Please don't use dried parsley.
• Chives: Long, thin, stranded herb that looks like green grass leaves. They grow a purple flower head that can be used as a garnish. Cut the flowers back before they go to seed, or you will have baby chive plants sprouting everywhere. They are milder than green onions.
• Fresh Tarragon: A soft, leafy herb that is easy to grow during the spring and summer months. It's available at most grocery stores in the produce section. Tarragon has a moderate anise (black licorice) flavor. So, I prefer it in small amounts. It's commonly used to infuse sauces such as my chicken breasts with mustard pan sauce.
• Anchovy: One little jarred anchovy filet is the secret umami weapon in this dressing, and the reason I store a small jar in the fridge. It provides a savory, salty, and nutty flavor rather than a strong fishy taste. I find the oil-packed varieties in the international aisle at Whole Foods, or try anchovy paste.
• Fresh Garlic: Just one medium-sized clove, and that's it. Raw garlic grows in intensity as it rests in the dressing.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: The traditional acidic ingredient in green goddess. The mayo-sour cream mixture can use a little bit of acid and brightness.
• Rice Vinegar: My favorite vinegar because it's not so strong. Buy unseasoned rice vinegar. I prefer a blend of lemon juice and rice vinegar to keep the dressing from getting too sour compared to lemon juice only.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

Variations & Substitutions

Here are some ideas for adjusting the recipe to your liking or using the ingredients you have available.

• Chives: Can't find fresh chives? Use 2 green onions (scallions) instead. Trim the root ends before blending.
• Herbs: Keep the 3-to-1 ratio of parsley to chives as your base, then customize the remaining herbs by season. In the spring, use tarragon (traditional), dill, cilantro, or garlic scapes. For summer, use basil, mint, Thai basil, or garlic chives.
• Texture: For a thinner, more pourable dressing, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk, milk, or water after blending.
• Anchovy: Swap the whole fillet for 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste, or leave it out entirely if you prefer.
• Lemon: If you don't have a lemon, substitute that portion with rice vinegar.
• Lower-fat version: Replace the sour cream with 2-5% fat Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream, but keep regular mayonnaise because low-fat mayo is sweet and tangy. Wait to add the lemon juice and rice vinegar until the end, after you taste it. The yogurt's natural tang means you may need less acid or none at all.

Seasonal Salad Ideas

Sometimes, salad is on the menu for your dinner party. You can serve green goddess dressing with these sophisticated salad variations inspired by Thomas Keller's restaurant, Ad Hoc.

• Spring: Baby lettuce salad with chopped parsley, chives, tarragon, croutons, medium boiled eggs, and pickled red onions.
• Early Summer: Iceberg wedge salad with bacon, cucumbers, sliced radishes, pickled red onions, feta, and dill.
• Mid Summer: Mixed lettuce salad, snap peas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, croutons, basil, and mint.
• Winter: Romaine lettuce, sliced fennel, winter citrus segments like oranges and grapefruit, croutons, chopped parsley.

Equipment

A food processor or blender is needed, like this Vitamix blender or this budget-friendly Oster blender.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: In the food processor bowl or blender pitcher, combine all of the ingredients.

Step 2: Blend or process until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides, if needed.

Step 3: Transfer the dressing to a container with a lid. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator before serving. It thickens when chilled.

Make Ahead & Storage Information

Make Ahead: This green goddess dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead of serving. You can serve it immediately, but more flavors will develop with time.

To Store: The USDA Foodkeeper app indicates that homemade salad dressings stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator are safe for up to 2 weeks. Freezing is not recommended.

FAQ

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