Make Ahead

Green Goddess Dressing

September  3, 2013
3.7
10 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes around 2 cups
Author Notes

This is the kind of Green Goddess you actually want to eat -- no mayo, not too much garlic, and loaded with fresh herbs and avocado. Adapted from Bon Appetit. —Brette Warshaw

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Green Goddess Dressing
Ingredients
  • 1/2 medium ripe avocado
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 oil-packed anchovies, very finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Put your avocado, vinegar, garlic clove, anchovies, lemon juice, lime juice, and sugar in a blender. Blend until pureed.
  2. While the motor is running, pour in your 3/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk in the heavy cream.
  3. Stir in your chopped basil, parsley, tarragon, and shallot.
  4. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it -- it's good!
  5. Cover your mixture and put it in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes before serving. It will keep for 3 days. Enjoy at your leisure.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • MikeeLikesIt
    MikeeLikesIt
  • Dia Sherman
    Dia Sherman
  • Lynn Wainess
    Lynn Wainess
  • Otis Hollis
    Otis Hollis

31 Reviews

FrugalCat September 26, 2023
I used white balsamic vinegar and subbed cilantro for the basil. That little tiny bit of sugar makes a difference- I used turbinado. You can use this as a dressing, a dip, a marinade, a sauce....
 
alisonkm July 19, 2022
Not a review but a question... is there a non-dairy subsitute for the cream that has been successful for people? This recipe looks super delicious and fresh but I have some allergies in the house. TYIA
 
MikeeLikesIt September 5, 2021
Love this dressing - made it last night and the initial flavors were great. I added creme fraiche which was probably over the top but the extra tang really made it pop. Will use it it on fresh tomato toast today and roasted veg tonight!
 
Dia S. December 2, 2015
I wish I had read these comments before proceeding! Mine was also bitter (no garlic sprouts but perhaps too much olive oil) but otherwise not assertive in flavors. To add insult, it broke in the blender and was very unappealing to look at, so out it went.
 
the#1mimi September 15, 2015
galsmu - Was there a green sprout in the garlic cloves? If that little sprout is not removed when used raw it can impart a bitter taste.
 
galsmu July 25, 2015
Question....Today I made this twice and both times it had a bitter taste right after making it. The first time I used probably-past-its-prime champagne vinegar instead of white wine vinegar and two newly-purchased-already-peeled garlic cloves. I thought maybe the vinegar (what I had at the time) and/or extra garlic clove were too much, so threw it all out and started over following the recipe exactly. Almost exactly the same result - bitter aftertaste. Does this go away after sitting in 'fridge or is there something I'm missing here?? I have great hopes for this dressing so want to figure out what's going wrong. Thanks for the help!
 
Lynn W. July 25, 2015
Mine definitely got better the next time but I don't remember an bitterness. Mine was lackluster but definitely improved after sitting overnight. Good luck. Let us know how it tastes tomorrow!
 
Lynn W. July 25, 2015
Sorry for typo- mine got better over night. Best of luck with yours. :-)
 
Lynn W. April 19, 2015
I agree with Christina. I felt it needed more flavor and less richness. I added more anchovies, garlic, lime juice and herbs. I guess I made it into something different altogether, but I really felt it was lacking in depth. Might try something else next time, too.
 
Otis H. March 29, 2015
This is a perfect recipe,everything is in place,i do not know where everybody else is looking ,but,i see a complete recipe with complete directions;it's just plain as day.Get your readying glasses out,and stop criticing on everything it's free advice you not paying for it.Quit Complaining.
 
Robin January 13, 2015
Why do you need dairy when you've added avocado?
 
Rebecca C. February 19, 2015
True. I didn't even see that heavy cream was in the ingredient list. Skipped right to the directions and didn't miss the cream as we ate it. plus, we used it straight from the blender. who has three hours to wait? Tastes real good without cream, with dried tarragon, fresh parsley and cilantro (used herbs i had), and served immediately. we'll see if what's leftover improves with chilling.
 
Rhonda35 August 26, 2014
@Brette Warshaw - please correct the recipe instructions so readers know when to add the heavy cream. (I went to the Bon Appetit version and noted the cream is whisked in after the oil is incorporated into the dressing.) Thanks!
 
Robin P. August 3, 2014
try plain yogurt if you don't want to use cream
 
Janene June 16, 2014
No mention of when to add cream so I think I'll just sub milk to lower calories and fat.
 
Eileen May 10, 2014
Yes, it calls for two chopped anchovies.
 
Caro G. April 16, 2014
"When all of the oil is incorporated, pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Whisk in your cream; it's okay if it looks a bit stripe-y."
* this happens before the chopped herbs

http://food52.com/blog/8044-homemade-green-goddess-dressing?from_related=1&related_src_type=post
 
juliunruly February 17, 2014
When the heck do I add the cream?
 
Markop February 12, 2014
The recipe ingredients mention cream, you don't mention it in the procedures, can't it be made without? I think it'd be just fine? Please advise
 
Regine September 11, 2013
In that case, I may do 3 tbsp of almond or soy milk coupled with 1 tbsp of olive oil; and if the almond/soy milk is fat free, I may do 2 tbsp of the milk and 2 tbsp of the olive oil.
 
Miss P. September 11, 2013
Thanks!
 
Regine September 11, 2013
Miss Paperwhite, this is not my recipe D), but I would think that you can replace the 4 tbsp heavy cream with i.e. 3 tbsp evaporated milk (or regular milk, I guess) and 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Heavy cream has more fat than milk, so I am off the top of my head thinking that the 3 tbsp milk/1 tbsp oil should be a fairly good substitute.
 
Miss P. September 11, 2013
We don't use any dairy because of my husband and son's allergies. I always use almond or soy, but it doesn't add any thickness and would thin in this case. Maybe just more avocado and/or oil?
 
Miss P. September 11, 2013
If I skip the cream, should I add a milk substitute or just leave it and season to taste?
 
Regine September 10, 2013
Christina, sorry. O). It is indeed rich but because of that you need less to dress a salad, i guess. I used baby romaine lettuce, orange bell pepper and topped the dressed salad with dried cranberries and croutons.
 
Christina September 9, 2013
Thanks Regine. I ended up adding five anchovies. To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by the dressing. I found it cloyingly rich. Won't bother next time.
 
Regine September 8, 2013
Sorry here is link: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-goddess-dressing
However, right after i posted my prior comment, i noticed that there is somewhere else in food52 -i think the article section about this dressing-where missing ingredients are lindeed listed. Sorry about complaining. O)
 
Regine September 8, 2013
I checked missing ingredients in original recipe in link below. Really ultra delicious. But i added maybe 5 anchovies instead of one and use lime only for both the lemon and lime asked for.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-goddess-dressing
 
Regine September 8, 2013
i just realized this recipe is very Incomplete! No mention of how much lemon/lime juice and shallots. Same thing with anchovies like Christina wrote.
 
Regine September 8, 2013
I would myself start with 2 anchovies and add more to taste.
 
Christina September 7, 2013
The method indicates anchovies, but they are not in the list of ingredients. How many does one add?