Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

There is nothing more refreshing than pouring the color of spring grass straight onto my salads, and this green goddess dressing is one of my favorites. I can have it ready in just 10 minutes by blending parsley, tarragon, and green onion into a creamy mayonnaise base with anchovy, garlic, and lemon for a bright and herb-forward dressing.

The first time I ate one of these was on a tray of cold vegetables a sous chef pulled together for staff meal back when I was working a fine dining line on the west coast, and the bowl in the middle of the platter outshined everything else on the table by about three bites. I have been making my own version since, and if you are already partial to a savory dressing with depth, my buttermilk ranch and Caesar salad dressing belong in the same group.

Green Goddess Dressing

Green goddess dressing was created in 1923 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco by executive chef Philip Roemer, who built it as a tribute to actor George Arliss while he was staying at the hotel and starring in the William Archer play “The Green Goddess.” The original blended mayonnaise with anchovy, tarragon, chives, parsley, and scallions, and it landed on the menu where some version of it has lived ever since. Every variation since then has played with the herb mix and the dairy, but the savory anchovy and the bright tarragon are the two ingredients the dressing  has held onto from day one.

The way I make at home is a blender job from start to finish. Herbs, garlic, anchovy, lemon, vinegar, and oil go in first and blend down to a smooth green base, then the mayonnaise drops in last and the dressing pulls together thick and pourable. I love how the apple cider vinegar gives the bowl an orchard note that plays well with the herbs, and a heavier pour of mayonnaise is the move when the destination is a vegetable platter and the dressing needs to hold up on a cracker.

I hope you give this one a try the next time you build a salad, plate a piece of fish, or set a dip out for the family.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is the list of ingredients I use to make this green goddess dressing recipe, along with a few substitutions that work well too:

• Fresh Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley – Packed leaves and tender stems, washed and patted dry. The stems  pack as much flavor as the leaves and blend into the dressing without any texture issue. Curly parsley will work too, but flat-leaf has more flavor and a sharper bite.
• Fresh Tarragon – The herb that makes the dressing green goddess and not just an herb mayonnaise, so I do not skip it. Dried tarragon will not work in this recipe.
• Green Onions – White and light-green parts, sliced. Chives were the original aromatic in the 1923 recipe, and a handful of snipped chives folded in alongside the green onions is the move when both are on hand.
• Garlic – One clove, peeled. Letting the blender do the work breaks the clove down so no raw bite hides in the dressing. Skip it for a kid-friendly version.
• Anchovy Fillets – Oil-packed fillets straight from the tin. Anchovy is the savory anchor that lifts the dressing past a simple herb mayo, and the fish flavor disappears into the herbs while the umami stays behind. A teaspoon of white miso paste is the closest substitute when anchovy is a hard no at the table.
• Mayonnaise – Full-fat, the better the brand the better the dressing. Hellmann’s, Duke’s, or my homemade mayonnaise all work.
• Lemon Juice – From a fresh lemon.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Distilled white vinegar works too if that is what is open in the pantry.
• Light Virgin Olive Oil – A soft, very light virgin olive oil, or any neutral oil like sunflower.
• Salt and Pepper – I finish it with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

How to Make Green Goddess Dressing

Wash and dry the herbs: I submerge the parsley and tarragon in a bowl of cold water, swish, and lift the herbs out so any grit stays in the bowl. I pat the leaves dry on a kitchen towel or spin them in a salad spinner. Wet herbs water the dressing down and dull the color, so I take the extra minute here.

Blend the herb base: I add the parsley, tarragon, sliced green onions, garlic, and anchovy fillets to a blender or food processor. I pour in the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil, then I blend on medium to high for about 2 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides, until the herbs are broken down and the mixture is smooth and bright green.

Add the mayonnaise and emulsify: I add the mayonnaise, a pinch of coarse salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper. I blend on medium speed for another 20 to 30 seconds until the dressing turns one smooth, pale-green color and pulls back from the sides of the blender.

Taste and adjust: I drag a spoonful across a piece of romaine and taste it on the leaf, not on the spoon. I adjust with another anchovy fillet for more savory depth, an extra squeeze of lemon for brightness, and a pinch of salt only after the rest of the seasoning is dialed in.

Chill and serve: I scrape the dressing into an airtight container and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. The herbs settle, the garlic mellows, and the dressing turns the color of spring grass. I serve it cold straight out of the container.

Serving Suggestions

I drop a thick pool on the cut face of the iceberg, scatter crisp bacon and halved cherry tomatoes across the top, and the salad anchors the dinner without much else on the table. It also belongs on a loaded green goddess salad, and it slides into the same lane as a classic Cobb salad when I want to swap out the vinaigrette for something with more body.

Outside the salad lane, I spoon it across a piece of grilled salmon so the fish picks up the herb and acid alongside the char, drop a pool next to a pair of Maryland crab cakes where the sweet crab and the savory herbs meet halfway, and thin it with a splash of buttermilk for a sandwich spread on a chicken cutlet sandwich or a turkey club.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: I make this up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It tastes good the day it is made and sharper after a night of rest as the herbs settle and the garlic mellows.

How to Store: I keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. If a thin layer of darker oil rises to the top after a few days, I whisk it back together with a fork before serving.

How to Freeze: I skip the freezer for this dressing.

More Dressing Recipes

• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Russian Dressing
• Greek Dressing
• Blue Cheese Dressing
• Caesar Dressing