Fresh and herby, this classic green goddess salad recipe is perfect for sunny days. Tossed in a creamy dressing made with mayonnaise and sour cream, this made from scratch green salad is ready to serve in just 10 minutes!
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Green Salad
Made with lots of fresh ingredients and full of vibrant flavors, it’s easy to see why this traditional green goddess salad is a favorite!
The crunchy salad of romaine lettuce, cucumber, avocado, snap peas and celery is tossed in a creamy lemon and herb dressing for a tasty and refreshing dish.
Quick and easy to make, serve up as a side dish or healthy meatless main.
Be sure to try my Green Goddess Pasta Salad too!
Why You’ll Love this Green Goddess Salad Recipe:
- HEALTHY: Made from scratch with lots of fresh vegetables, this salad is full of vitamins and minerals. It’s low in carbs, sugar and salt, and is gluten-free.
- QUICK AND EASY: The dressing and salad come together so quickly, so you can be serving this up in just 10 minutes. It’s a filling main dish that requires no cooking!
- MAKE AHEAD: This salad and dressing can be made a couple of days ahead of time, so it’s a great option if you are entertaining.
With it’s creamy dressing and fresh herby and vibrant flavors, this green goddess salad is a no brainer! So quick and easy, every bite is super delicious!
How to Make Green Goddess Salad
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- In a food processor, combine the mayo, sour cream, garlic and anchovy.
- Mix in the lemon and herbs. Season.
- Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine.
- Top with almonds to serve.
Ingredient Notes
- Mayonnaise and Sour Cream: I love the combination of mayonnaise and sour cream in this dressing. Mayonnaise adds richness and creaminess, while the sour cream adds tanginess and lightens the dressing a bit.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy allium flavor and is a classic addition to green goddess salad.
- Anchovy: Another classic addition to green goddess dressing. I like to use filets packed in oil but 1 teaspoon anchovy paste would also work! Or feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
- Lemon: Adds freshness and acidity to the dressing.
- Herbs: Parsley, tarragon, and chives are the herbs traditionally used in this dressing, but you could swap them out for basil, cilantro, or mint if you prefer. Feel free to make it your own!
- Greens: I love the combination of romaine hearts and mixed greens–the romaine is crisp and crunchy and the salad greens have great flavor!
- Vegetables: I’m using all of my favorite green vegetables (cucumber, avocado, snap peas, and celery) but you can use whatever you have on hand!
- Almonds: Adds a delicious crunch. You could also use walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds!
Green goddess dressing is a creamy salad dressing made of mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh herbs, anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice. It has a fresh, herbal flavor and is great on a salad or as a dip for fresh veggies!
According to legend, in 1923, the executive chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco wanted to create something to pay tribute to actor George Arliss and his hit play, The Green Goddess. Thus, the salad was born!
Nope! The viral TikTok salad recipe is vegan and involves finely chopping all of the ingredients to make the salad more scoopable so it can be eaten like a dip with tortilla chips. You certainly could turn this salad into a TikTok-inspired salad by finely chopping all of the salad ingredients, though!
Yes, it does! Green goddess dressing contains mayonnaise and sour cream, both ingredients that require refrigeration to maintain their freshness. You can store green goddess dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
This green goddess salad can be served by itself as a hearty main, or accompany it with some bread to make it a little more filling.
This salad can also easily be served as a side dish with your favorite mains, or try adding in some Air Fryer chickpeas or shredded chicken.
Make Ahead Instructions
The green goddess dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance of when you plan to serve it. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Let come to room temperature for best consistency.
The undressed salad can be prepared up to 2 days in advance of when you plan to serve it. Store the salad tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover green goddess salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Beyond 1 day, the salad may begin to wilt. I do not recommend freezing this salad or the dressing.
Variations
- You can substitute the mayo, sour cream, or both for Greek yogurt for a healthier swap.
- You can swap out the anchovies for briny capers to make this a vegetarian dressing.
- Feel free to use a mix of your favorite herbs or whatever you have on hand. I like to always use parsley and chives for that classic green goddess flavor. Dill, mint, or cilantro would all be great!
- I like a mix of crunchy romaine lettuce and tender mixed greens, but you can use whatever you like. Iceberg or cabbage would be great for crunch!
- Although I don’t recommend skipping the cucumber, virtually all of the other veggies can be exchanged for your favorites. Try sliced red onions or radishes, chopped green beans or broccoli, or edamame!
- Feel free to use your favorite nuts. Pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts would be delicious!
- For a protein boost, add chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, or grilled chicken.
- For a fiber boost, add cooked farro or quinoa.
Dressing Tip
This green goddess dressing is delicious and versatile.
- It’s a great way to use up leftover herbs or greens. Feel free to blend in whatever you have in the fridge, including tender greens like spinach.
- It makes an excellent dip for tortilla or pita chips or fresh vegetables.
- It’s a great sauce to add to pasta or sandwiches!
More Healthy Gluten Free Recipes We Love
Sometimes you shouldn’t mess with the classics, and this traditional green goddess salad recipe is perfect just as it is! So simple and easy to make, it’s perfect to enjoy throughout the year.
More Easy Salad Recipes to Try:
- Tricolor Pasta Salad
- Ham Salad
- Cobb Salad
- 7 Layer Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Quinoa Salad
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Green Goddess Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 clove garlic smashed and peeled
- 1 anchovy filet
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves
- ¼ cup sliced fresh chives
For the Salad
- 2 cups romaine hearts roughly chopped
- 2 cups mixed salad greens
- 2 Persian cucumbers cut into ¼-inch thick half-moons
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup snap peas
- ½ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup sliced almonds for garnish
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, and anchovy filet to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the garlic and anchovy are minced, about 30 seconds.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 clove garlic, 1 anchovy filet
- Next add the lemon, parsley, tarragon, and chives. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the dressing is your desired consistency, about 45 seconds.½ lemon, ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves, ¼ cup sliced fresh chives
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the Salad
- Add all of the salad ingredients (romaine, salad greens, cucumber, avocado, peas, celery) to a large bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine.2 cups romaine hearts, 2 cups mixed salad greens, 2 Persian cucumbers, 1 avocado, 1 cup snap peas, ½ cup diced celery
- Sprinkle over the almonds and serve immediately– the avocado will brown as it sits so this salad should be served immediately after assembly.¼ cup sliced almonds
Becky’s Tips
- You can substitute the mayo, sour cream, or both for Greek yogurt for a healthier swap.
- You can swap out the anchovies for briny capers to make this a vegetarian dressing.
- Feel free to use a mix of your favorite herbs or whatever you have on hand. I like to always use parsley and chives for that classic green goddess flavor. Dill, mint, or cilantro would all be great!
- I like a mix of crunchy romaine lettuce and tender mixed greens, but you can use whatever you like. Iceberg or cabbage would be great for crunch!
- Although I don’t recommend skipping the cucumber, virtually all of the other veggies can be exchanged for your favorites. Try sliced red onions or radishes, chopped green beans or broccoli, or edamame!
- Feel free to use your favorite nuts. Pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts would be delicious!
- For a protein boost, add chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, or grilled chicken.
- For a fiber boost, add cooked farro or quinoa.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
