This Green Goddess Dressing recipe is made with simple ingredients and healthy fats for a flavorful salad dressing that is easy to make and vegan friendly. Keep it stocked in your fridge for quick meals and nutritious salads!
I have a confession to make. You see the Vegan Green Goddess dressing above? Pretty, right? Well, it was anyway. Now, it’s finished, and it only took me a day and a half to finish it off! Clearly, I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that this vegan dressing is addictive. In the best possible way! You’re welcome!
The Creamy Dressing That Goes With Everything!
I mean, it’s the perfect addition to nearly any meal. Trust me. I’ve tried them all. From being drizzled over Nourish Bowls, used as a sauce on stir frys, or used as a dip for sweet potato fries, you really can’t go wrong. I can’t take all the credit for this incredible dressing, though. The truth is, it was inspired by an old college favorite!
Back in the good old days, my friends and I would frequent a restaurant known as Mother’s Cafe. Maybe you’ve heard of it? They were known for serving “peasant bowls,” as they called them. Or, in other words, meals that were both nourishing and affordable. Basically, they were the perfect vegetarian meals! Sort of like my Snappy Plant Power Balance Bowls.
While the whole place was great, what I loved best was this incredible Green Goddess salad they served. In fact, I loved it so much, I eventually began buying it by the bottle! Obsessed might be an understatement. However, while I loved this dressing, I needed a version that was egg and mayonnaise free.
Being unwilling to give up my most favorite dressing, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make it vegan in the process! What resulted was this Green Goddess dressing recipe you’ll see below. By removing all potential allergens, I managed to create a dressing that tastes just as fresh, tangy, and creamy as the original but is also paleo friendly, low carb, and can help reduce inflammation. Take a look below to watch how easily it comes together.
What Exactly Is Green Goddess Dressing & How Does It Taste?
Typically, green goddess dressing is a creamy, light-green condiment made out of mayonnaise, sour cream, and various herbs and spices. Due to its texture, green goddess dressing is often compared to a Vegan Caesar dressing. Known for its healthy qualities, this vegan dressing contains a light and refreshing flavor with a citrus tang to keep things interesting. It’s the perfect option for all your dressing needs.
Vegan Dressing Ingredients & Health Perks!
This homemade vegan salad dressing is made with natural ingredients making it low sugar, low carb, and highly delicious. Plus, all of the ingredients can easily be found at your local grocery store. Keep reading to create your grocery list and find out the benefits of each ingredient.
Avocado – Along with being great sources of fiber and healthy fats, avocados are also a great source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, Folate, vitamin C, Magnesium, and Iron. Adding avocado to your diet can help regulate your digestive system, lower cholesterol, help you absorb more nutrients, and more.
Tahini Option – Made out of ground sesame seeds, tahini is full of healthy fats and antioxidants that reduce inflammation, fight cancer, and protects your liver and kidneys from damage.
Scallions – One serving of scallions has twice the recommended amount of vitamin K needed for healthy adults! They also contain phytonutrients that help fight cancer and prevent inflammation.
Coconut Milk – Primarily composed of medium-chain triglycerides, coconut milk can help improve cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy weight. It is used in recipes as an allergy-friendly way to achieve a creamy texture and rich flavor.
Parsley – Rich in vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It’s an easy low-calorie way to make nearly any dish taste great.
Basil – Long used in medicinal practices, Basil is high in vitamin K and contains plant compounds that have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Tamari – Tamari is a gluten-free, allergy-friendly soy sauce alternative. It has a strong umami flavor that adds depth and can be used to enhance natural flavors.
To guarantee your Tamari is completely gluten-free, be sure to find one that is certified gluten-free. Or, just opt for coconut aminos instead.
Lemon Juice – Loaded with vitamin C, lemon juice can help boost your immunity!
Garlic – Garlic is low in calories but contains a little bit of nearly every vitamin and nutrient you need. Adding it to your diet can help prevent colds, reduce blood pressure, and lower the risk of heart disease. Medicinal properties and flavor for the win!
Olive Oil or Avocado Oil – While any oil will work with this recipe, I recommend olive oil. My personal favorite for making salad dressing is pure olive oil or naturally refined avocado flavor. They are both neutral in flavor but loaded with heart healthy benefits, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, it’s a super versatile oil that can be used for dressings, pan frying, grilling, baking, and more.
How to Make an Easy Vegan Salad Dressing!
This homemade salad dressing comes together in just 2 steps. All you have to do is toss the ingredients except for the oil into a food processor, and pulse it until they’re smooth. Then, leaving the blender running, slowly add in the oil until the desired consistency has been reached. To finish add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Then, if you want a thinner dressing, slowly add in up to 2 Tablespoons of extra water or coconut milk.
Note: Using tahini in place of avocado will create a thinner texture. To create a thicker consistency and a rich flavor profile, feel free to use 1/4 cup tahini and 2 slices of avocado instead of one or the other.
Storing Vegan Salad Dressing
Personally, I recommend making a second batch of this Green Goddess dressing, because it will go fast. However, if you can manage to keep it for more than a day, this Green Goddess dressing should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. There it will last up to 3-4 days if avocado is used or 5-7 days if the dressing is tahini based.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if you ate this Green Goddess dressing with a spoon. However, if you’re looking for meal ideas, it’s great on salads, sandwiches, bowls, and more. I love to add it to salads like this Strawberry Spinach Salad or my Seasonal Paleo Cobb Salad. Or, I use it as a dip with these Swiss Chard Salad Wraps. Really, there’s no way you can go wrong!
Looking for more? Take a look at these great Vegan dressings!
Let me know how you use this dressing in the comments below, and stay tuned for more great recipes every week.
Print
Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3/4--1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Green Goddess Dressing recipe is made with simple ingredients and healthy fats for a flavorful salad dressing that is easy to make and vegan friendly. Keep it stocked in your fridge for quick meals and nutritious salads!
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium ripe avocado (peeled) or 1/3 cup tahini. Both help create creamy taste/texture. See notes*
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions/green onions (white parts removed)
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 1/3 cup loosely packed (chopped/torn) parsley
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil and/or chive (loosely chopped before measuring)
- 2 Tablespoons tamari sauce (use coconut aminos for Whole 30)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and black pepper each (to taste)
- Olive oil as needed (1/4 to 1/3 cup)
- Thinner consistency option – Add water/non dairy milk
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients (minus the olive oil) in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and combined.
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is formed. Taste and add more salt/pepper, lemon juice, or both, if needed. For thinner dressing, blend in 2 Tablespoons extra of water or milk.
- Use right away or place in a sealed container and refrigerate for later. This dressing will keep well in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. If using avocado, the dressing will last 3-4 days. Add a splash of lemon juice after each use (for the avocado version) to keep it fresh.
Notes
Tahini creates thinner texture and the dressing will last longer in the fridge vs using avocado. I also like using both together (1/4 tahini and 2 slices of avocado) for a richer texture/flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: dressing
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 869
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 2047.5 mg
- Fat: 90.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 24.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.6 g
- Fiber: 9.8 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegan dressing, green goddess dressing, salad dressing, main dish dressing, dip
Cheers!
LC
With all the ads and pop-ups in this post I feel like I was kidnapped and held hostage. Geeez!!!
Apologies. We’re Trying to fix that.
Agree! Too distracting!
We are working on a new design for that just taking a while. In the meantime, the ads help pay my bills and keep this site going. Feel free to email me if you need anything specific. Happy to send you a better layout/format!
Wow, It’s excellent.
Thanks for sharing.
https://healthnfitnessadvise.com
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is really good! Everyone at my house loved it!
★★★★★
This dressing really does taste good with just about everything! So delicious!
★★★★★
you and me both my friend! Haha
This dressing is one of my favorite trader joes dressing, but learning how to make it for cheaper is all I ever needed today!
★★★★★
I’m so glad! Totally cheaper and more fresh that Tj’s. I may be bias
My favorite dressing ever! This is so fresh and delicious!
★★★★★
So glad! Thanks for feedback Donna!
Thank you for creating and sharing this dreamy recipe. I Thank it tonight and it turned a simple salad into something extraordinary. Absolutely delicious!!!!!
★★★★★
I’m so glad! Thanks for the feedback too!
Do you think this would freeze well?
I haven’t tried it, but worth a shot!
This sauce tastes great! I made it as directed. I didn’t use avocado because long story. And I used the milk form of the coconut milk. I would say next time I’ll either add avocado OR use the coconut milk from can because it’s extremely liquid-y right now. I do like the red onion in it. I was scared because I tried a bottled green goddess from the store and it was yuck but this is soo much better! So good!
★★★★
hi there, this looks interesting.. I need to eat greens , don’t eat enough. Question about the dressing. SO I’m not a hummus person. so not sure if Iwould I Like it this re the Tahini. so it is weird to use the almond (smooth) butter in replace? or you mentioned sub avacado? not sure.
Im thinking of making tonight or tomorrow. so want to know a sub for the tahini and how many avocado’s you put in the dressing.( I just see add to thicken) tnx so much. 🙂
Sue
You can totally use almond butter! Just make sure it’s not sweetened. I would then add a little avocado to thicken and make it green. Keep me posted!
Your dressing looks absolutely delicious and tasty. I will try the recipe and see if mine turns out like this.
I made a quinoa and cucumber mix that really needed some sort of dressing to bring it to life so i tried this out and it is incredible. I went the coconut amino route and just blended it with an immersion blender in a bowl. I really wasn’t sure what it would taste like with this mix of ingredients but wow, it was a million times better than i could have imagined! Will definitely make again and again.
★★★★★
Woohoo, I’m so glad!! Thanks for sharing your success:)
delicious and addictive
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I’m a bit confused, looking at your picture before blending, you clearly have avocados in the food processor but the recipe doesn’t call for fresh avocados but avocado or olive oil? So do you add fresh avocado ?? I gave it 3 stars because it looks so delicious. I plan to make this soon.
★★★
Oh sorry about that. Yes, the avocado is listed as optional thickener. It’s in the ingredient list. I’ll highlight it. Hope that makes sense.
What an amazing recipe! I cannot believe it is that creamy and dairy free! So awesome! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will be making this all of the time!
I made it and it’s a bit bitter. Did I do something wrong?
oh no! what herbs did you use? Did you use organic apple cider vinegar? Honey? tamari?
I realized that I had forgotten the lemon juice lol and so I added that and it made it a bit better but not completely and so I added some more coconut milk and it was much better after that ?. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
★★★★
Oh good! Sometimes it just depends on brand of coconut milk and tamari, ya know?
Great job! Thanks for sharing
★★★★
I am in love with that dish vegan .
Oh wow, what a lovely recipe! The green goddess dressing from Trader Joe’s is my favorite salad dressing of all time. This looks like a beautifully fresh and delicious salad dressing for any dish, really! Avocado and tahini are the BEST together as well. Who would have thought, haha!
oh yes! TJ’s is a good one! I so agree!
Oh my, I need to have this in my fridge pronto!!
you sure do!
I love the green goddess dressing at Saladworks but this is soooo much better!
★★★★★
Green Goddess dressing is one of my all-time favorites! So good!
★★★★★
This is one of my favorites! So many fresh flavors!
★★★★★
Love this! Mayo spikes my blood sugar, so I’m glad can finally eat Green Goddess dressing again (such a blast from my childhood!!!).
★★★★★
Definitely worthy of dressing obsession status!
Haha yes! So glad you agree Liz
Love how this uses tahini in the base! 🙂
Totally! Makes it so creamy too
Amazing recipe! These come out great everytime and they are a huge hit with anyone that tries them, I love these!
★★★★★
You are right. This dressing is absolutely delicious. Poured it over a Greek bean burger on top of a green salad and I loved it. I’m curious about the colour, though. Your is a pretty green and mine is an unfortunate brown. With tahini and soy sauce both in it, I’m not too sure how it could be green, but I would still happily eat it any time.
Oh great idea! And yes, sometimes the dressing can be more brown/yellow. I found this was due to the avocado and onion you use. Ya know? Either way, hope you enjoy it more and more. Haha!
This sounds and looks fantastic. The only thing is I can’t have any oils. Is there a way to substitute something in place of the oil?
can you have coconut oil/butter melted? You could try with just avocado instead. Might be thick but still tasty
Comment: OH MY GOD! You were right! This Green Goddess Dressing is INSANE! I spilled on my sweatshirt twice eating it out of the food processor with my finger. Will definitely be making weekly!!!
Tonight it made cucumber noodles and topped with this dressing! AMAZING!!!!
So glad to hear! It’s one of our favorites too!
Oh my!! I just saw this video on Facebook and I have got to try this! What a great idea to be able to add this over salad and even cucumber noodles! Okay, I am going to make this recipe this week! I have all the ingredients! Thank you!
yes! i’ve used it in zoodles and sweet potato noodles! Keep me posted. You can also sub out the tahini if needed.
What a fabulous staple dressing! I can’t wait to make a BIG batch and use it on salads, fish potatoes & veggies! Pinned! 😉
Thanks Gwen! It’s a favorite here too!
HI! Can we use a blender instead of a food processor?
Sure! you might have to stop it ever do often and scrape down the sides. Keep me posted!
Super tasty dressing! Any idea how long it will keep in the fridge?
Should be good for 5-7 days easy. But it doesn’t last long cause you wanna put it on everything haha
The most delicious salad dressing i’ve tried so far! I’ve just made it and poured it over a bowl of salad and i am in heaven right now! Highly recommend it to everybody who haven’t tried it yet. And thank you Lindsay for sharing it with us. I’ll be making it regularly from now on. 🙂
Oh my GODness, that looks tasty! I can only imagine how amazing this would taste with the forbidden rice!
Thanks for the recipe, it does sound pretty addictive though haha
Happy New Year! 🙂
totally! Let me know if you try it too!