Green Goddess Dressing

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!

• Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Tahini Dill Dressing
• Greek Yogurt Dressing
• Vegan Caesar Dressing

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.