Herby Green Goddess Dressing

I’ll invariably come to a point every summer when I have way too many fresh herbs ready for harvesting on my balcony. Salad dressing is perfect for times when I’m dealing with such an overabundance. I’ve been a firm advocate of homemade salad dressings ever since 4th grade. Back then, I would sometimes mix up batches of my grandmother’s Italian dressing recipe and sell it to friends and neighbors. Who knew it would be the start to a lifetime career in food production?

With all the salads we eat at home, I like to keep several different flavors of dressing in my refrigerator. Homemade Green Goddess dressing is one of our favorites.

What is Green Goddess Dressing?

Green goddess dressing is a traditional American sauce from the 1920s and it gets its name from its vivid green color. It is also said to have been created to honor the actor George Arliss, who starred in a popular play of the same name.

There are many different versions of Green Goddess dressing—so many that there isn’t one standard method of preparing it. It is a mayonnaise-based dressing packed with fresh herbs, with lemon and vinegar giving its bright flavor. My version has even more herbs than the original recipe because I like the stronger herb flavor, but feel free to adjust the total quantity of herbs to your liking.

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: like many dressings, mayo provides the base for the salad. Any brand will do, except perhaps the Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise which is sweeter and richer.
• Buttermilk: thins out the dressing to a better consistency while also giving it a nice tangy flavor.
• Fresh Herbs: puts the “green” in green goddess. Most kinds of soft leafy herbs will work, but make sure to chop them as finely as you can to release maximum flavor and color.
• Lemon and Vinegar: provides acidity and helps preserve the color of the dressing. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice and a clear vinegar to avoid adding a different color to the dressing.
• Salt: I prefer fine sea salt for this recipe. It's a bit more intense and has better flavor.

Steps

1. Finely chop all your herbs.
2. Add the other dressing ingredients together in your blender.
3. Add the chopped herbs and blend for a minute. The finished dressing should be smooth and a nice green color.

Substitutions

• Any kind of herbs can be used depending on your preference. The herbs I included in this recipe are fairly standard for green goddess dressing, but feel free to mix it up. Don’t like dill? You can replace it with something else. I would only suggest using “soft” herbs such as basil, chervil, or cilantro, not stronger herbs like rosemary or sage which may be overpowering.
• I like using buttermilk for the slightly tangy flavor, but regular milk can be used instead.
• If you don’t have a blender, you can simply whisk everything together by hand in a bowl, but the color might not be as green as it would be otherwise. Chop the herbs even finer to help compensate.

Variations

If you plan on using this as a dip, you can make it thicker by using sour cream instead of buttermilk.

Storage

Store the finished dressing in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. It is best when used within a week.

How to serve:

1. As a dressing: try it as a dressing for any kind of salad greens. I particularly recommend the combination of baby lettuces, watercress, and Belgian endive. You can also try it as a substitute for Caesar dressing in your favorite Caesar salad.
2. As a sauce: a traditional use for Green Goddess dressing is as a sauce to be spooned over lightly poached vegetables, seafood, or even chicken. Try it over asparagus, crab, or chilled grilled chicken breasts.
3. As a dip: create a thicker version and it is perfect as a dip to complement a crudité platter.