Vibrant & Healthy Green Goddess Dressing

A vibrant, herby and super savory Green Goddess Dressing! This healthy green goddess dressing is made with avocado oil mayonnaise and buttermilk and is delicious served with any green salad. We also love enjoying it as a dip for homemade fries, drizzled over chicken or fish, and so much more.

What is Green Goddess Dressing?

Green goddess dressing is thought to have originated in the 1920s at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. A chef at the hotel created this dressing in honor of actor George Arliss who was starring in a local play called “Green Goddess.”

Classically, green goddess dressing is made with mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar, parsley, chives, tarragon, garlic, scallions and anchovies. Since we’re in the business for taking classics and making them healthy-ish, I stuck pretty close to the traditional ingredient list and made a few smart ingredient swaps.

What Does Green Goddess Dressing Taste Like?

Green goddess dressing is a vibrant and unique salad dressing. The combination of fresh herbs and anchovy create a dressing that’s both super fresh and surprisingly savory. It’s creamy, herby, slightly tangy and super savory. 

Healthier Green Goddess Salad Dressing

To lighten things up, I swapped out traditional mayonnaise for avocado oil mayonnaise (avocado oil is much healthier than canola or vegetable oil). In addition to using a healthier mayonnaise, I cut down on the total amount and replaced some of it with tangy buttermilk.

TosStreamline the ingredient list, I relied on two heavy-hitting herbs—basil and parsley. If you love tarragon, cilantro, chives or dill, go ahead and throw some of those in too. Just make sure you have at least 2/3 cup fresh leafy herbs.

Ingredients in Green Goddess Dressing?

Let’s first talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, green goddess dressing is made with an anchovy fillet. No, it does not taste fishy. So what’s the anchovy about? Just like in Caesar dressing, anchovy adds a wonderful layer of savory flavor that you just can’t get from anything else. Here’s what else you’ll need:

• Avocado oil mayonnaise: I prefer to use avocado oil mayonnaise because avocado oil is much healthier than canola, vegetable or safflower oil. You can also use olive oil mayonnaise.
• Fresh herbs: I prefer the combination of basil and parsley. If you have dill, cilantro, chives and/or tarragon on hand, throw some in!
• Buttermilk: lightens up the dressing and adds a nice tang.
• Scallions: also called green onions, scallions are important for adding a mild onion flavor. You can also use chives but I don’t recommend using onions or shallots as they’re too strong in flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice: adds a bright zip!
• Anchovy fillets: you can also use anchovy paste if you have that on hand.
• Garlic: one small garlic clove adds just enough garlic flavor. Any more and the flavor takes over.

How to Use Green Goddess Dressing 

• Serve as a dip with polenta fries.
• As the dressing for potato salad.
• Drizzled over pan-seared chicken breast or pan-seared salmon.
• Drizzle over these sweet potatoes stuffed with chicken and broccoli.
• Use as a marinade for chicken skewers.
• Serve with Pan-Seared Scallops and Cilantro Lime Brown Rice.

FAQs

Variations

• Use an avocado in place of the mayonnaise. You might need additional buttermilk to thin the dressing.
• Add additional herbs if you have them on hand. I like dill, chives and tarragon.
• Make this vegan by using vegan mayo, unsweetened and unflavored nut milk or vegan yogurt, and skipping the anchovy altogether. Increase the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons. 
• Looking for a green goddess made with avocado and/or Greek yogurt? Check out this one that uses both!
• Use sour cream in place of some of the buttermilk or mayonnaise.
• Make this uber light (and protein packed) by using whole-milk Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise.

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