Whip up this refreshing, herby green goddess dip for your next party or as a healthy snack. It takes seconds to make in the blender and packs a whole lot of summery fresh flavor.
I’ve always enjoyed making my own dressings and dips. There’s something about a homemade dressing that elevates a simple salad and tells people, hey, I know it’s just a salad and I didn’t cook anything, but I made this dressing so, I tried.
What I love about green goddess dressing is that it’s cool and creamy like ranch, but the added herbs give it a nice freshness and greenniness (is that a word? can we make it a word?) that makes it feel light in spite of the creaminess.
I served this dressing as a veggie dip for my daughter’s third birthday.
I think it goes best with sweeter vegetables to offset some of that tanginess. Green beans, peppers, carrots, and lightly blanched broccoli is what I served.
For a salad, I’d do a sturdy lettuce like romaine or iceberg. Something that holds up well to the thick dressing. Make sure to get the freshest lettuce you can find, as that will be the sweetest.
And one last tip, if you’ve got a lot leftover, slather it all over raw chicken and marinate overnight. Dredge the chicken in flour and bake at 375° until the juices run clear.
When it’s done, you’ll have the most flavorful, moist fried chicken ever to come out of your oven.
This dressing is easy to adjust if there’s a particular flavor you want to omit or incorporate.
Sub in or out your favorite herbs. Omit the garlic if you prefer. Include both green onion and chives if you really want an onion flavor.
Just don’t skip the capers. It gives the dressing a nice saltiness and umami that sets this recipe apart from a typical ranch dressing.
(Most people actually use anchovies instead of capers in a traditional green goddess dressing. But much as I appreciate anchovies when it’s already in something I’m eating, I just can’t summon the courage to purchase and use the canned fish myself. If you can, then more power to you!)
Herby Green Goddess Dip & Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup fresh parsley (italian flat leaf)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh tarragon
- 3 tbsp green onions or chives (chopped)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Roughly chop all the fresh ingredients. Put it in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients.
- Blend until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Notes
- To thin out for a salad dressing, replace 1/4 cup of mayonnaise with olive oil.
- Use as a dip for veggies, dressing for salads, marinade for chicken, spread for sandwiches, or as a base for chicken salad.
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