Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess Dressing – made the classic way! This creamy dressing is packed with fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and a hint of umami for a deliciously savory, deliciously flavorful salad dressing that doubles as the perfect dip!

First things first…. let me come clean. For most of my life I was under the impression that I really didn’t like Green Goddess Dressing. Because I had it once, at a restaurant, and it didn’t live up to what I was expecting. Not even close! And so I figured it just wasn’t my thing. Crazy how that works, isn’t it?

If I had never decided to try it again, I would’ve gone the rest of my life not understanding just how DELICIOUS Green Goddess Dressing truly is. But for some reason, I knew I wasn’t ready to give up on it.

And so I present to you… the BEST Green Goddess Dressing ever. Made the classic way – with a blend of mayo, sour cream, and fresh herbs – no avocado necessary. (Of course, you can feel free to substitute Greek yogurt or add some avocado if you’d like. See my “recipe variations” section below for ideas.)

This dressing is smooth, creamy, and deliciously savory, with the perfect balance of acid, salt, and umami flavor. It’s the type of dressing that literally MAKES the salad… you know what I mean? And it also doubles as a delicious dip for any of your favorite veggies!

what you’ll need for this recipe

Mayo – Mayo creates a deliciously creamy, silky, flavorful base for this dressing. I used Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise, but you can use any brand you prefer.

Sour cream – Sour cream adds extra thickness, richness, and creaminess to this dressing. I used equal parts mayo and sour cream. Substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream if you prefer.

Fresh herbs – I used a combination of fresh herbs, including Italian parsley, basil, and chives. Add fresh tarragon, cilantro, or dill.

Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a delicious kick of extra flavor. I used 2 cloves.

Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice adds acidity, which helps balance out the creaminess of the dressing. Substitute white wine vinegar or use a combination if you prefer.

Anchovy paste – I know, I know. Anchovy paste can be scary. But trust me on this one… it adds that extra something special that takes this dressing to the next level! If you can’t bring yourself to use anchovy paste, substitute capers for a similar flavor.

Salt & pepper – I added 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to round out the flavors. Add more or less to taste.

how to make green goddess dressing

Measure & prep the ingredients. Measure the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice and anchovy paste. Roughly chop the fresh herbs garlic.

Combine in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Use immediately or refrigerate. Enjoy immediately as a salad dressing or dip. To use later, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.