Green Goddess Dressing

Looking for a way to use up the herbs in your fridge? Make this green goddess dressing recipe! It's creamy, bright, and brimming with fresh flavor.

Green goddess dressing in a bowl with vegetables

At this time of year, I make this green goddess dressing recipe almost every week. Jack and I have just planted our little garden on our back deck, and we have loads of fresh herbs. Straight off the plant, they’re fragrant and tender, ready to add a punch of fresh flavor to almost any dish. I often grab a handful of parsley for a weeknight pasta, a sprig of mint to finish a salad, or a bunch of basil to sprinkle over pizza. Chances are, I end up picking extra, so little by little, the fridge fills up with leafy herbs. That’s where this green goddess dressing comes in.

Cool, creamy, and so darn easy to make, it’s the perfect way to use up an abundance of herbs. You can make it with almost any ones you like – I start with parsley and chives and top it off with whatever else I have on hand. Cilantro, mint, and dill are all fantastic, but I especially recommend using tarragon. Its mild licorice flavor makes this green goddess dressing really complex and unique. Trust me, you’re going to love it!

Green goddess dressing recipe ingredients

Green Goddess Dressing Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this green goddess salad dressing:

  • Greek yogurt – Classic green goddess dressing is made with mayo and sometimes sour cream, but I skip them both in favor of Greek yogurt. It makes this recipe a tad healthier, and it adds a delicious tangy flavor.
  • Fresh herbs – I always make this recipe with parsley and chives. Then, I toss in whatever other leafy herbs I have in my kitchen! Try using dill, mint, and/or cilantro, and don’t skip the tarragon if you can help it.
  • Lemon juice and zest – Who doesn’t love lemon + herbs? The zest and juice add an amazing bright flavor to this creamy dip.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds extra richness and thins the creamy sauce.
  • Capers – Did you know that most green goddess salad dressing is made with anchovies? No joke! To keep this recipe vegetarian, I swap in capers to add savory, briny flavor.
  • Garlic, salt, and pepper – They add depth of flavor and tie everything together!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Herbs and yogurt in a food processor

Once you prep your ingredients, making this recipe couldn’t be easier. Just add them all to a food processor, and pulse to combine!

Oh, and by the way, this dressing is just as good when you swap cashew cream for the yogurt. When I make this vegan, dairy-free variation, I use a blender instead of a food processor to get the dressing really smooth. Find the instructions for how to make it in the recipe notes below!

Green goddess dressing in a food processor

Green Goddess Dressing Serving Suggestions

You might have guessed by now this this green goddess dressing is a great salad dressing (try it on my Spring Salad, Caesar Salad, Kale Salad, or Radish Salad!), but you can use it for so much more. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

How do you like to use green goddess dressing? Let me know in the comments!

green goddess dressing

More Favorite Dressings and Sauces

If you love this green goddess dressing recipe, try one of these flavorful sauces or dressings next:

green goddess dressing in jars

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Green Goddess Dressing

rate this recipe:
4.96 from 94 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
This easy green goddess dressing is creamy, bright, and delicious! I most often make it with Greek yogurt, but it also works wonderfully with cashew cream. See the recipe notes below for this easy vegan variation.

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the yogurt, parsley, mixed herbs, chives, lemon juice, zest, olive oil, capers, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Season to taste.
  • Serve as a dip or toss with salad greens. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Makes just over 1 cup
*To make this vegan: Use 1 cup raw cashews + ½ cup water in place of the yogurt. Blend all ingredients, except the herbs, in a high-speed blender until creamy. Add the herbs and pulse to combine. If your dressing is too thick, mix in little water or more olive oil. This version will not work in a food processor because the cashews won’t get as creamy as they do in a blender.

109 comments

4.96 from 94 votes (60 ratings without comment)

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  1. Lisa Bystry
    12.02.2024

    I love this (like so many recipes of yours) but I only had regular plain yogurt so I threw in a small avocado, consistency was perfect!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.03.2024

      oh that sounds delicious!

  2. happy cyclist
    12.02.2024

    Can you freeze this?

  3. Barbara
    10.19.2024

    3 stars
    Had some whole milk Greek yogurt that I wanted to use up. This came out way too thick for our taste – more like supermarket dressing. I added buttermilk to thin it. Also, very mild flavored without the anchovies. I added dried onions for a boost. Came out okay.

  4. Emma
    10.03.2024

    ooooh, but where are the anchovies???

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.03.2024

      Hi Emma, you could totally add some – I use capers instead because this is a vegetarian website.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.