Name: Green Goddess Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 very small garlic clove, minced*; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 2/3 cup Greek yogurt; 1/3 cup mayonnaise (or substitute olive oil); 3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, loosely packed; 1/4 cup basil leaves or tarragon leaves and tender stems, loosely packed; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 tablespoon anchovy paste (or omit and use another 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt); 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; Fresh ground black pepper

This Green Goddess dressing takes 5 minutes to make and is great on salads or as a vegetable dip. Perfect for weeknight meals!

Here’s a homemade salad dressing that will amaze you with its fresh, zingy flavor: Green Goddess dressing! Sure, you can buy it at the store. But nothing beats the flavor of this creamy green drizzle made at home with fresh herbs and ingredients. Making your own salad dressing is easy, you know exactly what it’s made of, and it tastes incredible! So hold onto your hats, because this homemade Green Goddess dressing is drop dead delicious.

What is Green Goddess dressing?

What’s the dressing behind this intriguing name? All the rage in the 1970’s and 80’s, Green Goddess actually stems back to San Francisco in the 1920’s. There’s some contention around the exact origin. But the most popular theory is that the chef of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco created a dish to page homage to a famous actor in a play called The Green Goddess.

The Green goddess dressing the chef created in the 20’s had anchovies, scallions, mayonnaise, and herbs (parsley, tarragon, and chives). There have been various renditions ever since, using different herbs and flavorings. After all with a name like Green Goddess, who wouldn’t want to try a rendition?

Ingredients in this Green Goddess dressing

For this Green Goddess dressing recipe, we’ve developed a spin that’s close to the classic flavor profile. We’ve also got a zesty cilantro lime variation that’s just as tasty (scroll down). But for the classic, we wanted to stay true to the classic flavors with a few slight innovations. Here’s what you’ll need:

Greek yogurt: Classic Green Goddess is made with sour cream, but Greek yogurt is a great stand in: it has less calories and brings a tangy flair
Mayonnaise: Using a bit of mayonnaise along with the yogurt helps the dressing to adhere to salads perfectly (substitute olive oil if you like)
Green onions: It’s easier to find green onions than chives, and they add a similar flavor
Garlic
Parsley
Tarragon or basil: Use basil if it’s hard to locate tarragon at your local grocery
Lemon juice
Anchovy paste: It’s optional, but it adds a massive pop of umami and salty flavor. Omit it for vegetarian and add more salt: or you can try using the same amount of drained capers.
Salt and pepper

Or, try the zesty cilantro lime variation!

Here’s a great spin on the classic: this zesty, cilantro lime Green Goddess dressing. It’s loosely adapted from a Mexican Green Goddess dressing in Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, It’s All Good. Head to the recipe below and see the Notes section for this variation. Here’s the basic premise:

Cilantro, lime and jalapeño add a zesty flair. Cilantro replaces parsley and lime replaces lemon. Jalapeno adds a hint of heat, without being too spicy.
Maple syrup or honey balance the dressing. The sugar rounds out the flavor so it doesn’t taste overly tart.

Romaine salad — Add Green Goddess to a crunchy romaine salad

10 best ways to serve Green Goddess dressing

This Green Goddess dressing is incredibly versatile and makes a pile of raw vegetables taste like heaven! Here are the best ways we’ve found to use it:

Veggie dip: Dip in carrot sticks and prepare to fall in love.
Wedge salad: Add a spin to a classic wedge salad.
Tortilla bowl salad: These tortilla bowl salads are simple to whip up.
Grain bowl: Cook up a pot of whole grains like rice or quinoa, then top with veggies and dressing. Or try Green Goddess salad bowls.
Baked potato or sweet potato: Try on a baked sweet potato or baked potato.
Dip for fries: Add to crispy baked fries or baked sweet potato fries.
Salmon sauce: Drizzle onto baked salmon or pan seared salmon.
Roasted carrots: Roasted carrots would look lovely with a pastel green drizzle.
Roasted broccoli: How perfect would it be dolloped onto roasted broccoli?
Taco sauce: Makes any taco tastier! Try it on shrimp tacos.

More homemade salad dressing recipes

Making homemade salad dressing is cheaper and healthier than store-bought dressing! Aside from this Green Goddess dressing, here salad dressing recipes you should try:

Try the best easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Go for creamy Caesar Dressing (or Vegan Caesar)
Try our favorite Healthy Ranch Dressing
Go for zingy Italian Salad Dressing

Best Balsamic Vinaigrette

Caesar Dressing

Healthy Ranch Dressing

Homemade Italian Dressing

This Green Goddess dressing recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.