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American

Green goddess dressing

Non-vegetarian

Mayonnaise blended with anchovy, tarragon, chives, parsley, spring onion and tarragon vinegar into a pale green, herb-packed creamy dressing.

Green goddess dressing is an American sauce from United States, ready in about 40 minutes and made with mayonnaise, anchovies and tarragon (fresh). It serves 10 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
10
Level
Beginner
Calories
142

Ingredients

10 servings (about 40 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Wash and dry the herbs well; pick the parsley (opens in a new tab) and tarragon (opens in a new tab) leaves and roughly chop the spring onion (opens in a new tab) and chives (opens in a new tab). Drain the anchovies (opens in a new tab).

    An onion being chopped on a board
    How it looks · Photo: Christina & Peter on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Blend the anchovies (opens in a new tab), herbs, spring onion (opens in a new tab), vinegar and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) with about a third of the mayonnaise (opens in a new tab) until the herbs are finely puréed.

  3. Step 3

    Add the rest of the mayonnaise (opens in a new tab) and the sour cream (opens in a new tab) and pulse just to combine into a smooth, pale green dressing. Season with pepper (opens in a new tab) and salt, then chill for 30 minutes.

About this dish

Origin
San Francisco, United States · Commonly attributedCommonly credited to the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, in 1923, named after William Archer's play The Green Goddess starring George Arliss. The early versions were mayonnaise-based; sour cream is a later addition.More food from United States
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Sauces · Dips & spreads
Cooking method
Blended, No-cook
Taste
herby, creamy, tangy, umami
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb
Without the optional extras: Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Cook more with
Mayonnaise · Anchovies · Tarragon (fresh) · Spring onion · Parsley · Chives
Techniques
Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom sour cream
  • Contains: Eggsfrom mayonnaise
  • Contains: Fishfrom anchovies
  • May contain: Mustardfrom mayonnaise
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom wine vinegar

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

142 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 40 g · recipe makes 10

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 2%
  • Carbohydrate 2%
  • Fat 96%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy142 kcal355 kcal
Protein0.8 g2 g
Carbohydrate0.6 g1.5 g
Net carbohydrate0.4 g1 g
Sugars0.2 g0.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.2 g0.4 g
Fat15.1 g37.9 g
Saturated fat2.4 g5.9 g
Trans fat0 g0.1 g
Cholesterol——
Sodium222 mg556 mg
Salt equivalent0.6 g1.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
36 mg
Calcium
12 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
4 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
15 µg
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sour cream.
  • Tarragon (fresh): USDA SR Legacy has only dried tarragon; fresh basil is used as a nutritionally similar fresh-herb stand-in.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Thin with a little buttermilk for a pourable salad dressing; leave it thick as a dip.

Common mistakes

  • Blending the whole batch for a long time, which can make mayonnaise thin and greasy; purée the herbs first.

Serve with

  • Crisp romaine or little gem salads, and cobb salad.
  • Dip for crudités and grilled prawns.
  • Spread in chicken or salmon sandwiches.

Food safety

  • Contains fish (anchovies). Keep chilled.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a covered jar for up to 4 days.

Variations

  • Avocado green goddess: Avocado and yoghurt replace the mayonnaise for a lighter, modern version.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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