Green Goddess Dressing (Made With Yogurt!) – WellPlated.com

Green Goddess Dressing manages to be both creamy and light at the same time—like magic! You’ll love the bright, herbaceous flavor of this healthy salad dressing recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Salad Dressing

• Quick and Easy. Add the ingredients to your food processor, give it a whirl, and that’s it! Only a few minutes of prep time (and I promise it’s worth getting your food processor dirty!).
• Supremely Flavorful. This is a dressing that packs a punch! Tangy yogurt, citrusy lemon juice, all those herbs, garlic, and more. Plus, the dressing tastes slightly different each time depending on the herbs you use. It’s fabulous on Green Goddess Salad of course, but you can use it for many of my salad recipes.
• Versatile. You can use it as a salad dressing, dip, or sandwich spread (it is SO good on a BLT). Eat it with a spoon? Don’t mind if I do!
• Healthy. No mayonnaise or sour cream here! My version of green goddess dressing is made with protein-packed Greek yogurt, which gives it an even richer, creamier consistency, all while being more nutritious than the original (and certainly more nutritious than store-bought versions from Panera, Costco, and the like).

More About This Green Goddess Dressing

Green goddess dressing is a classic.

In fact, it’s even a bit retro (it was made famous by The Palace Hotel in the 1920s)—but with a few simple tweaks, we can update the recipe to make it lighter and healthier, but still just as creamy and rich. 

While green goddess dressing is famous for being full of fresh herbs, there’s a lot more going on here!

The dressing is tangy, garlicky, and even a little bit umami. With so many layers of flavor, it’s perfect for jazzing up any salad.

Pair this green goddess dressing with an Arugula Salad, drizzle it over Grilled Potatoes, dunk it with Chicken Kabobs, use it for dipping homemade Zucchini Fries, or just spoon it onto all the things. 

How to Make Green Goddess Dressing

The Ingredients

• Plain Greek Yogurt. You can use nonfat, low-fat, or whole—just make sure it’s plain!
• Freshly-Squeezed Lemon Juice. Add some extra zippy lemon flavor by blending some lemon zest into the dressing.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. If you have one that’s a higher quality, this is a great place to use it.
• Mixed Fresh, Tender Herbs. Basically, anything that doesn’t have a woody stem. Fresh tarragon, parsley, dill, basil, chives, cilantro, or mint are all options here.

• Garlic. Classic aromatic.
• Worcestershire Sauce. If you’re vegetarian or have seafood allergies, be sure to pick up a bottle of vegetarian Worcestershire sauce. Yes, you can swap an anchovy.
• Salt and Pepper. You can go heavy on the black pepper to make a peppercorn green goddess dressing.
• Onion Powder. Omit this if you’re using chives.

The Directions

1. Combine. Place all of the dressing ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender.

2. Process. Blend until the dressing is almost smooth, with small specks of herbs.

3. Finish. Season the dressing to taste and ENJOY!

Storage Tips

• To Store. Refrigerate green goddess dressing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• To Reheat. Freeze green goddess dressing in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• To Freeze. Let the dressing thaw in the refrigerator before using.

What to Serve With Green Goddess Dressing

• Mason Jars. I love using both the smaller size and larger size for storing salad dressing in the fridge.
• Citrus Juicer. The best way to make sure all the juice comes out of your lemon—without the seeds!
• Food Processor. For a smooth, creamy texture.

Tips for the Best Green Goddess Dressing

• Chop the Garlic Before Blending. This way, it will mix evenly into your green goddess dressing and no one will end up with a big hunk of garlic in their salad! 
• Scrape Down the Food Processor if Needed. To make sure all the herbs are processed to a uniform size, you may need to stop the food processor once or twice and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• Use Kosher Salt. If you use table salt, you’ll need to use a little bit less because the crystals are smaller. Start with 3/4 teaspoon of table salt and add more to taste.
• User a Lesser Amount of Stronger Herbs. While you can add up to 1 cup of milder herbs like basil, limit how much of stronger herbs you use (like mint or tarragon) no one flavor takes over. See recipe notes for more guidance.