best green goddess dressing recipe

This is the best green goddess dressing recipe! It’s packed to the brim with fresh herbs, a splash of zippy vinegar, rich olive oil, lemon, and a savory pop of anchovies. 

If you've never made your own homemade green goddess dressing, you're in for a treat! There are great versions from Panera and Trader Joe's, but making it at home is so much better. You control the herbs, the thickness, the flavors. It's rewarding and fresh and so beautiful.

The really fun part about green goddess salad dressing is the herbs. You can use whatever soft herbs you have on hand and way more than you think! This is great to prevent your homegrown basil from bolting, and it’s also a perfect use for lingering fridge herbs. 

Keep on reading for ways to use this green goddess salad dressing, as well as what you need and how to make it!

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what is in green goddess dressing: 

how to make green goddess dressing:

1. Blend anchovies, garlic, herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, water, salt, and pepper until smooth.
2. Add mayo and blend more.
3. Add more water, if needed, to thin to desired consistency.
4. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

what is green goddess dressing?

Green goddess dressing is a creamy, blended-up salad dressing made with fresh herbs, olive oil, mayonnaise and lemon.

Sometimes green goddess dressings can be extra healthy, with yogurt or buttermilk in place of the mayonnaise. Sometimes they can be vegan without anchovies and with vegan mayonnaise.

But in general-- they’re a mayo and olive oil base with a vibrant green color and super fresh flavor.

what does green goddess dressing taste like?

Green goddess dressing is a fresh, herby, creamy salad dressing. Ours has a touch of garlic, lemon, grassy olive oil, and a deep umami note from anchovies. I also use a tiny splash of white wine vinegar to lift the flavors and add a bit of sharpness.

why this is the BEST green goddess dressing:

Easy: This is such an easy green goddess dressing! Combine it all in the blender and let it run until smooth and creamy.

Vinegar and lemon: I love to use both acids in my green goddess dressing. Vinegar brightens the flavors and does much more to balance the oil and mayo in the creamy dressing. But lemon brings so much flavor! Both are key.

Anchovies: You might not feel stoked about these, but stick with me here. I know these little fish are super polarizing. But there’s a lot of freshness going on: lemon, herbs, vinegar. The anchovies add a grounding depth to the dressing. But we just add 2 tiny anchovies for depth of flavor and a layer of umami you can’t replicate. When the dressing is blended smoothly, no one will be the wiser!I t’s that thing that keeps you coming back for more.

Mayonnaise: You could substitute yogurt here, or a lesser amount of buttermilk, if you’d like it healthier. But the mayonnaise gives a satisfying richness that you won’t get from the others! You’re putting it on healthy stuff. Go big with the mayo!

Soft herbs: I love to use a ton of basil and parsley as the base for the herbs, then throw in a smaller mix of other more distinctive soft herbs. I wouldn’t really want all basil, or it could taste too much like pesto. Or with a bunch of oregano, it could taste like pizza. It’s the mix of all the herbs that makes it so fresh and so unique. And it’s totally flexible-- just aim for a total of about 1 ¼ cups of packed herbs and go with your favorites!

Pre-chopped: Even if you have a top-of-the-line blender, I recommend chopping everything a little bit before relying on the blender. This also means you won’t need to add as much liquid to the blender to get it smooth, so you can thin it to your desired consistency at the very end.

what to put goddess dressing on:

• Big leafy salads
• Grilled vegetable salads
• Grain salads (like this farro salad or farro bowl)
• Brushed onto grilled chicken, steak, tofu or kebobs
• As a quick marinade for shrimp
• Mixed into potato salad, pasta salad or egg salad
• Drizzle over roasted vegetables
• Spread on a black bean burger
• In your favorite turkey wrap or sandwich
• Dip for a crudite platter
• Spread over steamed or roast fish
• Brush lightly onto crusty bread and grill

more salad dressings to try!

jalapeno ranch dressing

miso ginger dressing

sesame ginger dressing

spicy cashew dressing

fresh salads to try with this dressing:

arugula apple salad

butter lettuce salad

radicchio salad with oranges and pecorino

raw beet salad with citrus vinaigrette

fava bean panzanella with cucumber and feta

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