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Green Goddess Dressing
Green goddess dressing is creamy, fresh, and packed with herbs, with a bright, tangy flavour that makes it incredibly versatile. Fresh herbs are blended with a creamy base, lemon, garlic, and a few simple seasonings until smooth and vibrant. It’s brilliant drizzled over salads, spooned onto grilled chicken or vegetables, or served as a dip when you want something fresh, punchy, and a little more interesting than a standard dressing. Before we get to our green goddess dressing recipe, how gorgeous are these bowls from Forest Decor? Please go check them out!
Green Goddess Dressing
This green goddess dressing is my go-to for turning basic salads into something special. Packed with fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and a creamy base of yoghurt or mayo, it’s bright, zesty, and endlessly versatile. I drizzle it over grain bowls, roast veg, grilled meats – honestly, anything that needs a little lift. It keeps well in the fridge and always makes me feel like I’ve got my life together, even if it’s just salad in a bowl and a fork in hand.
Ingredients
- 2-3 anchovy fillets, packed in oil
- 200ml crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt
- 3/4 cup flat-leaf/continental parsley
- 3/4 cup baby spinach or watercress
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tsp capers
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Maldon sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.
- Blitz until smooth, creamy and evenly combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional sea salt flakes, black pepper or lemon juice if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate until required.
Notes
- Crème fraîche gives the dressing a richer, slightly thicker consistency, while Greek yoghurt makes it lighter and a little more tangy.
- Baby spinach gives the dressing a mild, fresh flavour, while watercress adds a slightly peppery edge.
- The anchovies add savoury depth rather than a strongly fishy flavour. Start with 2 fillets and add the third if you prefer a more pronounced savoury note.
- Capers bring extra saltiness and acidity, so taste the dressing before adding too much additional salt.
- For the smoothest dressing, blend until the herbs are very finely broken down and the mixture turns an even green.
- If the dressing is thicker than you'd like, loosen it with a small splash of cold water or a little extra lemon juice.
- This works beautifully as a salad dressing, spooned over grilled chicken or fish, or served as a dip with raw or roasted vegetables.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir well before serving.
- This dressing is best made fresh and isn't suitable for freezing, as the dairy base can separate once defrosted.
What I Cook With
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Serve this with
- Drizzle over my The Best Chicken Salad for an extra herby, creamy finish. The fresh green dressing works beautifully with chicken and crisp salad leaves without making the whole thing feel heavy.
- Spoon over grilled salmon or chicken just before serving. The fresh herbs and creamy base make it an easy finishing sauce, especially with roasted vegetables or crisp potatoes on the side.
- Use as a dressing for my Minute Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, swapping the blue cheese dressing when you want something fresher and lighter while still keeping plenty of flavour.
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My Everyday Salad Essential
Ok ok, yes, another salad recipe. But if you’ve been here a while, you know I can’t help myself. I wouldn’t call salads my comfort food exactly, but they are definitely my default setting! They’re the first thing I think of whenever I need to bring a dish to something, and the only thing I can stomach when it’s too hot to function. Honestly, even when it’s just me at home, salads are my go-to, and this Green Goddess Dressing recipe is my secret weapon. I’ve made this dressing so many times I could probably do it in my sleep, and it’s been living rent-free in my fridge all summer.
When I’m not entertaining, I like to keep things really simple. Usually that means this dressing poured over some crunchy greens, or wrapped up in a gluten-free tortilla with turkey slices for a lazy mid-week dinner. That wrap is basically my personality during the warmer months. It’s creamy, herby, lemony, and so ridiculously delicious that it’s become a permanent part of my life. I resisted the hype when Green Goddess went viral on TikTok, but curiosity got the better of me, and I haven’t looked back since.
I had no idea it had been around for almost a century! I genuinely thought it was some new trendy invention, but apparently it’s been floating around for decades. All I know is that the internet did something right for once, because this dressing deserves every bit of love it gets. It’s fresh, it’s vibrant, and it makes even the saddest salad taste like a proper meal.
Summer in Brisbane
I know technically it’s not summer anymore, but Brisbane didn’t get that memo. If you’ve ever lived here, you’ll know it’s summer nearly all year round. The weather is gorgeous but the humidity? Absolutely feral. I grew up in south-west Sydney where summer meant dry heat and cracked lawns. I can cope with that! But Brisbane’s wet, sticky heat? That’s another beast entirely – it’s the kind of heat that makes you question all your life choices after walking outside for two minutes.
Humidity and I are not friends. It makes my hair explode, my face melt, and any form of productivity disappear, especially given my flat has zero aircon. On days like that, cooking anything that involves actual heat feels like torture. Which is why, unsurprisingly, salads become the hero of the season. No cooking. No standing over the stove. Just chop, toss, drizzle, and done. Honestly, anything that gets me out of the kitchen faster in that heat is a win.
That’s where this dressing comes in. It turns even the most basic salad into something I actually look forward to. You know those days when you’re so sweaty and over it that food is just a necessary evil? This dressing has saved many of those days. It’s fresh enough to cool me down, filling enough to keep me going, and tasty enough that I don’t feel like I’m punishing myself with a bowl of leaves.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Dressing
Look, I’ve tried every dressing under the sun. I’ve bought the fancy bottles, whisked up vinaigrettes, even tried to make a few of my own that didn’t quite work out (we don’t talk about those). But this one is different. It’s creamy but not claggy, tangy but not sour, and the herbs make it feel alive. It’s like the dressing equivalent of a spring clean – one spoonful and suddenly I feel like I’ve got my life together, even if I’m still in my dressing gown.
I’ve started making it in double batches because I go through it so fast. One day it’s on my salad, the next it’s in my wrap, then it’s on roasted veg or a potato salad. I even used it as a dip for veggie sticks once, and it made me feel like someone who owns matching Tupperware. It’s just that good. When something makes you crave vegetables, you know it’s magic.
The best bit? It doesn’t try too hard. No weird ingredients. No fancy technique. Just a handful of really good things blended together to make something delicious. It’s the kind of recipe that feels like it’s doing the heavy lifting in your fridge. No fuss, no drama, just flavour that works with absolutely everything. I have no doubt this will be in my life for a very long time.
Ingredients Breakdown
The reason this dressing works so well is because the ingredients are basic but brilliant. You don’t need to go foraging or order anything online. Most of it’s already knocking about in the fridge or pantry, especially if you’re like me and always buy herbs with the best of intentions. The base is creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt, which keeps it creamy and light. Then in go the anchovy fillets (yes, trust me), a clove of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness.
You’ve got a lush handful of flatleaf parsley, a big scoop of baby spinach or watercress, and some chives for that oniony punch. A teaspoon of capers brings a salty tang that balances everything out, and then you finish it off with a glug of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes, and a grind of black pepper. It’s zingy, fresh, and utterly addictive.
It takes about five minutes to throw together and lasts all week in the fridge. I just keep it in a little jar and shake it up before each use. Whether I’m making something proper or just raiding the crisper drawer and hoping for the best, it brings everything together. It’s one of those rare recipes that never lets me down. And honestly, I wish everything in life was that reliable.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt?
Either works, but they give slightly different results. Crème fraîche makes a richer, thicker dressing with a softer tang, while Greek yoghurt gives you something lighter, fresher and a little sharper. Both have enough body to carry the herbs without turning the dressing watery.
Will the anchovies make the dressing taste fishy?
Not unless you use considerably more than the recipe calls for. Two or three fillets disappear into the dressing and work more like seasoning, adding savoury depth and saltiness rather than an obvious anchovy flavour. Start with two if you’re unsure, then taste before adding the third.
Why isn’t my Green Goddess Dressing completely smooth?
Fresh herbs and leafy greens take a little time to break down, particularly in a food processor rather than a high-powered blender. Keep blending until the parsley, chives and greens are very finely chopped and evenly distributed through the dairy base. A slightly textured finish is completely fine, but you shouldn’t have obvious pieces of leaves or herbs remaining.
Ingredient breakdown
Anchovy fillets
Anchovies provide the savoury backbone of the dressing, adding saltiness and depth without making it taste overtly fishy. Because they’re blended completely into the other ingredients, they essentially melt into the dressing. Two fillets give a gentler result, while three make the savoury flavour slightly more pronounced.
Crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt
The creamy base that gives Green Goddess Dressing its body. Crème fraîche produces a richer, thicker dressing with a mellow tang, while Greek yoghurt makes it lighter and slightly sharper. Either should be thick rather than runny so the finished dressing has enough body to work as both a dressing and a sauce.
Flat-leaf parsley
Parsley provides much of the fresh herb flavour and helps create the dressing’s vibrant green colour. Flat-leaf parsley works particularly well because it has a stronger flavour than curly parsley and blends easily into the creamy base. Use the leaves and tender stems rather than thick, woody stalks.
Baby spinach or watercress
These bulk out the green element without requiring an excessive amount of herbs. Baby spinach is mild and keeps the dressing fresh without adding much flavour of its own, while watercress brings a noticeably more peppery character. Both also help give the finished dressing its deep green colour.
Fresh chives
Chives bring a mild onion flavour without the harshness you’d get from raw onion or shallot. They sit quietly behind the parsley and greens, adding another layer of freshness without overpowering the dressing.
Capers
Capers add little bursts of acidity and savoury saltiness that work particularly well alongside the anchovies. They help stop the creamy base from tasting too rich and give the dressing more complexity without needing lots of additional seasoning.
Extra virgin olive oil
A small amount of extra virgin olive oil gives the dressing a smoother texture and a little extra richness while helping everything blend together. Because it’s used raw, choose an olive oil you enjoy the flavour of rather than something especially bitter or aggressively peppery.
Garlic
One raw garlic clove adds enough sharpness to give the dressing some bite without overwhelming the fresh herbs. Because raw garlic is considerably stronger than cooked garlic, one clove is plenty. Blending it thoroughly also helps distribute the flavour evenly throughout the dressing.
Lemon juice
Lemon provides the acidity needed to balance the creamy dairy, olive oil and anchovies. Half a lemon gives the dressing freshness without making it taste obviously lemony. You can add a little more after blending if you want a sharper dressing or need to loosen the consistency slightly.
Maldon sea salt flakes and black pepper
These finish the seasoning, but both should be added to taste after everything has been blended. The anchovies and capers already contribute salt, so the dressing may need less additional seasoning than expected. Freshly ground black pepper adds gentle warmth without competing with the fresh herbs.
