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Green goddess dressing is a delicious way to use up any fresh herbs you have on hand. It makes a flavorful salad topping, and is also the perfect dip for veggies, fries, and more!
What is green goddess dressing? The original recipe was reportedly created in the 1920’s by chef Phillip Roemer at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. It features plenty of fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, and tarragon, and some variations contain anchovies or mayonnaise, too.
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and it tastes like it came from a restaurant. It will quickly become one of your favorite sauces!
Why You’ll Love It
It’s quick to prepare. Just toss everything into the blender and blend until it’s creamy. It’s ready to serve in just minutes!
It’s flexible. You can use practically any fresh herbs that you have on hand in this recipe. I’m partial to using a mix of parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill, but fresh basil, tarragon, green onion, or a touch of mint will work, too.
It’s allergy friendly. Some recipes will use greek yogurt or sour cream for creaminess, but this version is made with tahini, instead. It adds creaminess and extra fiber, while keeping this salad dressing dairy-free and vegan friendly.
It tastes amazing. The combination of fresh herbs adds so much flavor! Drizzle it over baked chicken breasts, roasted potatoes, and quinoa bowls, or serve it as a dip with sliced veggies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in green goddess salad dressing?
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh cilantro
- Chives
- Dill
- Fresh lemon juice
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Tahini
- Salt
As I mentioned above, this recipe is quite flexible. If you don’t have a full 2 cups of fresh herbs, it will still turn out delicious. Just use what you have on hand, and taste as you go.
Depending on how tart you like your salad dressing to be, you can use 3 to 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, so start with less, and add more if you prefer a more tangy flavor.
How to Make Green Goddess Dressing
1. Add everything to the blender.
Start by adding water, lemon juice, and olive oil to your blender, then add in the fresh herbs, tahini, garlic, and salt. You can add a pinch of black pepper, if you’d like a little extra spice, too.
I usually toss in whole cloves of garlic, but if you don’t have a high-speed blender, you may want to mince them first, so they will break down quickly. You can also use a food processor instead of a blender, if that’s what you have on hand.
2. Blend.
Blend until the dressing is smooth, then taste and make any adjustments as needed. You can add an extra tablespoon of water to thin out the dressing more, as needed.
Transfer the blended dressing to a mason jar with a lid, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
3. Enjoy!
You can serve this vegan green goddess dressing right away, or keep it stored in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. It’s delicious over salads (even potato salad!), pasta, and more.
Note: This dressing will thicken even more when chilled. This is great if you plan on serving it as a dip, but you can thin it out again by running the sealed jar under warm tap water, or add a tablespoon of water and stir well, to make the creamy texture more runny again.
Substitutions and Common Questions
Do I have to use tahini? If you need to avoid sesame seeds, you can use almond butter or cashew butter with similar creamy results. You could also add avocado for creaminess, if you prefer.
Can I make it oil-free? Yes, you can leave out the oil, and add more water to help thin out the dressing, as needed. The tahini still adds plenty of creaminess. (Make sure you buy a tahini with no added oil, too; the only ingredient on the package label should be sesame seeds.)
More Creamy Dressings
Looking for more salad dressing recipes to try? You’ll love these, too!
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup tahini (see notes)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (or fresh basil)
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- 1 garlic clove
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Add the water, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, chives, dill, garlic, and salt to a high-speed blender. Blend until very smooth.
- Taste the dressing, and make any adjustments as needed. You can add an extra tablespoon of water, if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Pour the dressing into an airtight container with a lid, and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. This dressing will thicken up when chilled, so you can thin it out again by running the sealed jar under warm tap water, or you can add an extra tablespoon of water, and stir until it reaches a pourable consistency again.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with Soom brand tahini, which is very runny in consistency and has a mild nutty flavor. I also love Whole Foods 365 brand and Artisana brand, but keep in mind that a “raw tahini” will be thicker in texture and may need a little extra water to help thin-out the dressing.
- If you don’t have all of these herbs on hand, the dressing will still turn out well! You can use fresh basil instead of cilantro, or green onions or a small shallot instead of chives.
Nutrition
Update Note: This recipe was updated in September 2022. If you prefer the original version, you can find it below.
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cloves garlic (or 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
1 teaspoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Mix everything together in a blender or food processor, and then it’s ready to serve.
If you try this green goddess dressing recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Hi Megan,
I use to make your oil free version all the time but can’t seem to find the recipe any longer … I believe it had 2 Tbsp Lemon 2 Tbsp ACV 1 Tsp Tamari and 1/2 cup Tahini ? would love to locate it if you can forward my way by email ? many thanks
Megan this is simply delicious and perfect in every way! I have made many GG dressings over the years (decades!) and this one is just so easy and tasty! Will make this one again and again. Thanks for another great share. Xx
This is really good. I didn’t have enough fresh parsley and cilantro so I add some dried then finished off with a handful of fresh basil. The garlic is too strong so will cut back to one clove next time. So unhappy with store bought dressings, this recipe makes me happy. Thanks
What is the flavor profile? My kids LOVE Panera’s green goddess dressing and I was wondering if this was similar or kid friendly. How would you describe the flavor and how can I make a bit more friendly?
This tastes very fresh and herby, with a slightly tart lemon flavor. I haven’t tried Panera’s so I can’t compare, but I really love this one! You can start with just 3 tablespoons of lemon juice if you want to start with a less-tangy dressing, and you can also cut the parsley and cilantro in half (use a 1/2 cup each) if you want it to be a little less green. It’s very flexible!