Easy Green Goddess Dip (and Dressing)

Green Goddess Dip (and Dressing) bursts with garden-fresh flavor from a blend of fresh herbs. It's creamy, quick to make, and seriously multitasking: serve it as a snack dip with crisp vegetables, a flavorful sauce for fish, chicken, or shrimp, or thin it into a Green Goddess dressing for salads. It keeps well for days in the fridge and can be made dairy-free and vegan too.

This recipe first became a staple in my kitchen when I needed a simple, fresh dip I could keep on hand for snacking. It's part Green Goddess, part herby ranch, and endlessly useful. I've served it at catered parties too, where guests asked for the recipe, so here it is.

Green Goddess Dip and Dressing Recipe Snapshot

• Fresh, fast, and easy - Bursting with flavor from a big handful of fresh herbs.
• Versatile - Serve it as a dip with raw vegetables, spoon it over fish or chicken, or thin it into a flavorful Green Goddess dressing.
• Simple ingredients - Fresh herbs, vinegar, mayo, and seasonings.
• Make-ahead friendly - Keeps well in the refrigerator for several days
• Better than bottled - Tastes fresher, brighter, and lets you control the ingredients, without added sugar, low quality oil, or additives.

Ingredients You'll Need

This Green Goddess recipe is herb-forward, dairy-free, and made without anchovies. Instead of sour cream or yogurt, it gets its creamy texture from mayonnaise, with white vinegar for brightness and a generous handful of fresh herbs for flavor.

• Mayonnaise - I use an egg-free mayo for its light, clean taste, but use your favorite mayonnaise. For a better-quality option, look for avocado oil or olive oil mayo, often found in the refrigerated section.
• Fresh herbs - Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, tarragon, feathery dill, and chives all work well. Mint and cilantro provide a nice twist too.
• Vinegar - White wine vinegar adds clean, bright tang. Champagne vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar work too. Distilled white vinegar is sharper but works if that's what you have.
• Flavor powders - Onion powder and garlic powder blend in easily and add savory flavor without overpowering the herbs.

Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and black or white pepper (the white pepper disappears nicely).

Substitutions

• Dried herbs - Fresh parsley and chives are usually easy to find and make a good fresh base. If you can't find the other herbs fresh, use dried herbs for part of the recipe. Use about one-third as much dried herb as fresh, and let the dressing rest before serving so the dried herbs can rehydrate and release their flavor.
• Anchovies - The original Green Goddess dressing includes anchovies along with sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, parsley, lemon, and white wine vinegar. If you enjoy anchovies, add a little anchovy paste from a tube for savory depth. It won't taste fishy; it just makes the dressing more complex. For a plant-based version, skip it.

Chef's tip: Dry the Herbs Well. Wash the herbs, then dry them thoroughly before chopping. Wet herbs bruise, clump, and don't chop cleanly, while dry herbs slice into fine pieces and blend more evenly into the dip or dressing.

How to Make Green Goddess Dip and Dressing

Wash and dry the herbs well, then chop them finely. Make the dip by hand for a white, creamy base with green flecks of herbs, or use a mini food processor or small blender for a smoother, light-green dressing.

For a dip, keep it thick. For a dressing, thin it with a little water, vinegar, or lemon juice until it reaches the consistency you like.

Serving Suggestions

As a Dip

Serve Green Goddess dip with colorful fresh vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, sweet bell peppers, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and endive leaves. It's especially nice at the center of a crudité platter. Use it as a sauce or dip for fish, shellfish, or chicken. It's super versatile and multipurpose.

As a Dressing

Thin the dip with a little water, milk, or lemon juice until pourable, then drizzle over crisp salad greens. Because it's sturdy and creamy, it works well with romaine, iceberg wedges, chopped salads, and hearty vegetable salads.

Chef's Tip: The rule for pairing dressing and greens is light leaves with light dressings and vinaigrettes, creamier heavier dressing go with sturdier leaves and veggies.

More Terrific Dip Recipes

Easy to make ahead and always crowd pleasers, try a few of the delicious dips. Find more ideas in the appetizer and snack category or on the sauces and dressings page.

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