Before there was Caesar, before there was Ranch, before there was Balsamic Vinaigrette, there was Green Goddess salad dressing.
Green Goddess salad dressing was one of the most popular salad dressings in the United States at one time. The story goes that Green Goddess salad dressing originated at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1923.
There was a hit stage play in town at the time, and the dressing was created in honor of the play, and specifically the actor George Arliss. (Arliss was later nominated for an Oscar for reprising his stage role on film).
What makes Green Goddess salad dressing green?
While there are many green items in Green Goddess salad dressing, the actual color comes from adding food coloring to give it a green hue.
I especially like to use Green Goddess salad dressing as a party dip, which makes it great for family get-togethers and celebrations.
How to Make Green Goddess Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 6 anchovy fillets, drained & minced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (tarragon vinegar preferred)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Green food coloring (drops for desired hue)
Directions
Mix all Green Goddess salad dressing ingredients together in a food processor or blender.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, and pour over favorite salad or greens.
If you’d rather have your Green Goddess salad dressing a bit sweeter, add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and some chopped fresh mint to taste.
I can recommend this recipe for any family cookbook. Try it and let me know what you think!
Happy Cookbooking,
Erin
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Thanks for publishing this recipe. I’ve used it twice now, and it brings back great memories. A few decades ago, Green Goddess was such a common dressing choice in restaurants here in Los Angeles, and I can’t believe it has drifted away from us.
I was surprised to see a bottled version (by a major food distributor) at the store recently and got very excited. I tried it, and there was a vague resemblance to what I think of as Green Goddess dressing. But it has none of the impact or freshness of your recipe. (Plus the bottled ingredients list looks like some kind of science project!)
I’ve also seen and tried various organic versions with similar “goddess” names. They taste fine, but they are tahini-flavored, and any resemblance to the Green Goddess in your dressing recipe is in name only.
Thanks again, Matilda!