Prepare homemade avocado green goddess dressing with ripe avocados, spinach, plenty of fresh herbs, aromatics, and lemon juice. The creamy dressing is one of my favorite ways to elevate salad recipes, meat entrees, raw veggies, and appetizers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Thanks to social media and TikTok, green goddess dressing has evolved and has many delicious variations.
- The healthy dressing recipe takes just 5 minutes to make and uses simple ingredients.
- I enjoy making a batch at the beginning of the week for meal prep to flavor your lunch and dinner recipes.
- The green goddess dressing recipe with avocado is perfect for salad, roasted vegetables, bowls, steak, and wraps.
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- What is Green Goddess Dressing?
- What is Green Goddess Salad Dressing Made of?
- Additions and Substitutions
- Tools Used to Make this Recipe
- How to Make Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
- Expert Tips
- How to Use Green Goddess Dressing
- What to do With the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
What is Green Goddess Dressing?
The creamy, herb-infused dressing is said to have originated in San Francisco in 1923. According to historians, chef Philip Roemer invented the dressing for George Arliss after he starred in the play. “The Green Goddess.” The fitting, green-hued dressing became so popular that it was commercialized and distributed by Kraft.
While the traditional recipe contains ingredients like mayonnaise, sour cream, and anchovy paste, the dressing and its ingredients have evolved overtime to include dairy-free and vegan variations like my recipe.
What is Green Goddess Salad Dressing Made of?
- Basil: Fresh basil leaves provide a ton of flavor.
- Spinach: Adding leafy greens like spinach to the dressing is the perfect way to sneak in some extra vegetables. Plus, they add to the already bright green sauce.
- Parsley: Include flat-leaf Italian parsley or replace it with other leafy herbs like cilantro, mint, or tarragon.
- Chives: Use fresh chives or garlic scapes for the best flavor, or you can try green onion if that’s what you have available.
- Garlic: I suggest using three fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Avocado: Use a good-quality, fresh avocado to flavor and thicken the dressing. The avocado should be ripe. If it is under-ripe, it can be slightly bitter and won’t blend as smoothly.
- Lemon Juice: Brighten the sauce with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Rice Vinegar: I enjoy the light flavor of the rice vinegar, but you can also use apple cider vinegar.
- Spices: Taste and season with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
The best part about making your own dressing is how versatile they are. Feel free to customize by adding or substituting ingredients based on your preferences.
- Make it Spicy: Add jalapeño or serrano peppers for a spicy version of the green goddess dressing. Like my skhug recipe, process the chiles with spinach, herbs, and garlic until chunky.
- Use Different Herbs: Basil, parsley, and chives are my go-to fresh herbs for the recipe, but have fun with it and experiment with mint, cilantro, tarragon, or green onions.
- Go Nutty: Include cashews or pistachios for additional protein. You can also add nutritional yeast.
- Dairy: I prefer a vegan version of green goddess dressing, which is why I like adding avocados. If you want a creamier dressing, include plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
It’s best to use a high-powered blender for the smoothest dressing. You can also use a food processor, but the avocado green goddess dressing will have a thicker consistency.
How to Make Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the basil, spinach, parsley, chives, and raw garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender until chunky.
Step 2: Scoop the avocado into the processor and add the lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Process until smooth, then add water until it has a proper consistency.
Tip: Use less water to create a dip and more water to make a dressing.
Step 3: Taste and season with salt and pepper, give it a good stir, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Prioritize using fresh herbs and greens to enhance the flavor of the dressing.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the blender or food processor as you combine the ingredients.
- Add water to the dressing, little by little, until you get the consistency you want.
- Taste and season the dressing with salt and pepper as you go.
If you enjoy this recipe, pair it with one of these dinner favorites!
How to Use Green Goddess Dressing
- Salad Dressing: Using it as a dressing for your favorite salads is the most obvious choice, and it tastes delicious with a hearty Cobb salad, arugula and spinach salad, and my vegetable chopped salad.
- Marinade: If you leave out the avocado, the dressing is a great way to marinate chicken and fish.
- Spread: Spread the dressing over sandwiches, burgers, or wraps.
- Dipping Sauce: Leave the dressing thick and serve it as a dipping sauce for grilled vegetables, sweet potato fries, crunchy veggies, tortilla chips, or my brightly-colored rainbow wraps.
- Topping: Top grain bowls and vegetable bowls, or replace the dressing on my sesame salmon bowl. You can also drizzle it over tacos, steak, roasted potatoes, potato salad, baked chicken, and seafood.
What to do With the Leftovers
- Make Ahead – The dressing is a great make-ahead condiment because it tastes even better as the ingredients combine. Feel free to prepare the dressing up to one day before you’re ready to serve.
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – You can freeze the avocado green goddess dressing for up to 4 months. I like to divide the dressing into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe container or bag.
- Thaw – Defrost the dressing in the refrigerator overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does green goddess dressing go brown?
Like guacamole, oxidation causes the dressing to turn brown. You can slow the process or prevent this by storing it in an airtight container and covering the surface of the dressing with plastic wrap to remove excess air before securing the lid.
What does avocado green goddess dressing taste like?
You can use green goddess as a dressing, sauce, or dip, and it has a savory, tangy, and herbaceous flavor. Because of the bright and fresh ingredients, it’s an excellent way to liven up your meals.
More Homemade Dressings:
Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
- 1 cup basil
- ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup parsley,
- ⅓ cup chives or garlic scapes, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium avocado
- lemon juice, (1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup water, (as needed)
- Combine the basil, spinach, parsley, chives, and raw garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender until chunky.
- Scoop the avocado into the processor and add the lemon juice, rice vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Process until smooth, then add water until it has a proper consistency.Tip: Use less water to create a dip and more water to make a dressing.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, give it a good stir, and enjoy!
- Prioritize using fresh herbs and greens to enhance the flavor of the dressing.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the blender or food processor as you combine the ingredients.
- Add water to the dressing, little by little, until you get the consistency you want.
- Taste and season the dressing with salt and pepper as you go.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.