Green goddess dressing is the spring condiment that makes a bowl of anything taste like restaurant food. A fistful of tender herbs, a whisper of anchovy, Greek yogurt for tang, and a good blender — ten minutes and you have enough to dress salads, dip vegetables, and spoon over fish for a week. Make it once in peak herb season and it'll live in your fridge rotation forever.
Sauce
Easy
American
Green goddess dressing
A vibrant green herb-packed dressing with anchovy, garlic, Greek yogurt, and a fistful of fresh herbs — spring in a blender, good on everything.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Serves
- 8
Green goddess dressing
Makes About 1 cup
Serves
8
Scaled 1×. Ingredients adjusted — but cook time, pan size, and oven temperature don't scale linearly. A bigger batch usually needs a bigger pan and a few extra minutes; a smaller batch often finishes sooner. Trust your eyes, not the timer.
Ingredients (15)
You'll need
- Blender or food processor
- Microplane or fine grater
- Small jar or airtight container
Instructions
0 of 7
Nutrition
Estimated per serving · 2 tablespoons
80
Calories
2 g
Protein
2 g
Carbs
7 g
Fat
1 g
Fiber
1 g
Sugar
240 mg
Sodium
What to look for when you shop
Best varieties
- Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley — milder and sweeter than curly; the ideal base
- Genovese basil — classic Italian sweet basil
- French tarragon — delicate anise flavor; the traditional green goddess herb
- Russian tarragon — sturdier but less flavorful
- Regular chives — mild onion flavor; essential
- Garlic chives (Chinese chives) — flat leaves, more garlicky; fun twist
- Dill — great tarragon substitute for those who don't like licorice notes
Ripeness
Herbs should be vibrant, dry, and fragrant — smell them to check. Avoid wilted, yellowing, or slimy bunches. Stems should be crisp, not floppy. Fresher = greener dressing.
Imperfections are fine
Small yellow leaves can be picked out and the rest is fine. A few holes from insects are normal. Slight wilt can be revived with a 10-minute ice-water soak.
Good substitutions
- All-parsley version — skip the other herbs; add 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- Cilantro + mint — for a Mexican-leaning version
- Mint + dill + parsley — for a Middle Eastern lean
- Spinach mixed with herbs — stretches fresh herbs, keeps it green
- Avocado-based vegan version — skip yogurt/mayo, use 1 avocado
In season
Fresh herbs are at their most vibrant in spring and early summer (April – August). Herb-based recipes like this one are worth making in peak season for maximum color and flavor.
How much to buy
About 1 large bunch of parsley plus small bunches of chives, tarragon, and basil (or a combination herb bunch from a farmers market).
From a grower near you
Find your herb grower on CollectiveCrop
Green goddess is a herb-forward dressing — which means the herbs have to taste like herbs. Supermarket plastic clamshells have been refrigerated for days before you buy them; the flavor is muted and the color has dulled. CollectiveCrop is how you find the grower selling herb bunches cut that morning. A dressing made from those tastes like a garden; a dressing made from the other kind tastes like a dressing.
- In season April – October (peak); year-round from hothouses
- For this recipe 1 bunch parsley + small bunches of chives, tarragon, basil
- Freshness Picked within 3 days
- Imperfects welcome Second-grade produce works great here
- Diet-friendly vegetarian (without anchovy) · gluten-free
- While you're there Greek yogurt from a local dairy · Fresh lemons · Good olive oil · Local eggs (for mayo if making from scratch) · Garlic
At the market
About 1 large bunch of parsley plus small bunches of chives, tarragon, and basil (or a combination herb bunch from a farmers market).
Best varieties
- Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley milder and sweeter than curly; the ideal base
- Genovese basil classic Italian sweet basil
- French tarragon delicate anise flavor; the traditional green goddess herb
Good to know
Tips
- Flat-leaf parsley is essential — curly parsley is bitterer and harder to blend smooth.
- A tiny squeeze of honey (1/2 teaspoon) rounds out the edges if the dressing tastes too sharp.
- Use a high-speed blender if possible. It's the difference between slightly grainy (food processor) and silky-smooth (Vitamix or similar).
- Scale the dressing to a pint of herbs, not a recipe — use whatever fresh herbs are best at the market that day.
- Blanching herbs briefly (10 seconds in boiling water, then ice bath) locks in neon-green color for dinner-party presentation.
- Leftovers: thin with water, use as a marinade for chicken or fish (30 minutes is plenty).
Storage
- Refrigerator: 5 days in a sealed jar. Color dims gradually; flavor stays strong for 3 days.
- Freezer: not recommended for dairy versions; avocado/olive-oil versions freeze up to 2 months.
- Pro tip: top the finished dressing with a thin layer of olive oil before sealing to slow oxidation.
Reheating
- Not applicable — served cold.
Make ahead
- The entire dressing is make-ahead-friendly — makes Monday lunch easier through Friday.
- Wash and dry herbs up to 24 hours before blending.
- Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead for best flavor and color.
Variations
- Classic Palace Hotel version: swap yogurt for 1/2 cup full mayonnaise.
- Vegan avocado version: skip yogurt and mayo; use 1 ripe avocado plus 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons water.
- Dip consistency (thicker): reduce water by half for a chip/veggie dip.
- Ranch-style: add 2 tablespoons buttermilk and a pinch of dried dill for a green ranch.
- Jalapeño green goddess: add 1 seeded jalapeño and swap herbs for cilantro + mint.
- Tahini green goddess: swap mayo for 2 tablespoons tahini for a nuttier, Middle Eastern lean.
- Super-herby: double all the herbs for a thicker, more intense dressing.
- Green goddess marinade: thin with 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar; marinate chicken, shrimp, or fish for 30 minutes before grilling.
Swaps
- Vegan: swap yogurt for silken tofu or 1/4 cup cashews (soaked); swap mayo for avocado; replace anchovy with 1 teaspoon white miso plus 1 tablespoon capers.
- Dairy-free: same — silken tofu or avocado-based version.
- No anchovy (vegetarian): use 1 teaspoon white miso or 1 tablespoon capers for savory depth.
- Lower-fat: skip the mayo entirely; use 3/4 cup Greek yogurt.
- Herb flexible: use any combination of soft green herbs totaling about 1 3/4 cups loose-packed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does green goddess come from?
It was invented at San Francisco's Palace Hotel in 1923, named after the play "The Green Goddess" (which starred George Arliss). The original used mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon vinegar, anchovy, parsley, chives, and scallions. This recipe uses Greek yogurt for a lighter version but keeps the herb-anchovy backbone.
What herbs go in green goddess?
Traditional: parsley, chives, tarragon. Modern versions often add basil, dill, mint, or cilantro. The rule: mostly parsley as a base (it's mild), plus 2 or 3 stronger herbs for character. Avoid rosemary, thyme, or sage — too piney.
Do I have to use anchovies?
No, but they add a salty umami depth you can't easily replicate. Don't worry about fishy flavor — 2 anchovies in a cup of dressing taste savory, not fishy. Substitutes: 1 teaspoon miso paste, 1 tablespoon capers, or 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
Can I make this without mayo or yogurt?
Yes. Use avocado (1/2 avocado) for a creamy vegan base, or silken tofu. Both make a creamy green sauce. The flavor shifts slightly but stays delicious.
How long does green goddess last?
5 days refrigerated in a sealed jar. It gets greener as it sits for the first 24 hours and slowly darkens after that. Flavor is best in days 1 to 3.
What do I use it on?
Everything: salads (especially with chicken or shrimp), dip for crudités, drizzled over roasted vegetables, spooned on grilled fish or steak, swirled into soup, used as a sandwich spread, or thinned into a marinade. It's the multi-purpose spring sauce.
Can I freeze green goddess?
Not recommended — the dairy separates on thawing. If you want to freeze herbs, make a pesto-style version with olive oil instead of dairy; that freezes fine.
How do I keep it bright green?
Blanch the herbs for 10 seconds then shock in ice water before blending. This locks in the color. Alternatively, top the finished dressing with a layer of olive oil to seal out air, and refrigerate immediately.
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