This wholesome take on avocado green goddess dressing is so fresh, light, lemon-y, and full of flavor. It's also vegan, oil-free, ready in minutes, and a great way to use up fresh herbs!
Why We Love It
After falling in love with Trader Joe's avocado green goddess dressing, I knew I wanted to make a homemade version. Similar to this copycat recipe of their Ginger-Turmeric Dressing, we're ditching the oil completely in this recipe and using only avocado and a small amount of water for the ultra creamy consistency.
This dressing is so herb-forward, lemon-y, and light, not heavy or oily like most store-bought green goddess dressings.
In fact, a ¼ cup serving contains just 60 calories and 4 grams of fat.
It's versatile, too! Use it as a spread for wraps and sandwiches, a sauce for pasta and grains, and a dip for veggies.
And while classic California green goddess dressing recipes call for anchovies, dairy, and/or mayonnaise, this one is vegan. Woohoo!
Equipment and Ingredients
To make avocado green goddess dressing you'll need a food processor or small blender and just 10 ingredients:
- fresh parsley - either curly or flat-leaf
- fresh chives - or green onion if you don't have chives
- fresh basil - or another herb, such as cilantro; more on this below
- garlic cloves
- lemon juice and zest - the zest is optional but does add extra zip!
- ripe avocado
- apple cider vinegar
- sea salt and black pepper
- water
There's also wiggle room in this versatile dressing for other herbs like mint or cilantro. And if you don't have chives, green onion works well and is often easier to find. See more substitution tips below.
How To Make the Dressing
Making your own healthy green goddess dressing is as easy as:
- Process the parsley, chives, basil, and garlic until chunky.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and blend until the consistency is as smooth as you like. Use more water for a thin dressing or less for a spreadable condiment. Taste and adjust the salt and acidity as desired.
Serve right away or store for later. So easy!
Substitutions
The recipe is written to use one whole avocado and makes 1 ¼ cups of dressing (about 5 generous servings). If you only have half an avocado to use up, try adding a few spoonfuls of plain vegan yogurt or mayonnaise as a supplement, or simply divide the other ingredients in half and make a half batch.
In replicating the flavor of Trader Joe's green goddess dressing, I decided to stick with parsley, chives, and basil, but you can also incorporate small amounts of mint, dill, tarragon, or cilantro. Have fun with it, and don't be afraid to experiment with the herbs you have on hand.
If you're in the mood for a fresh batch of dressing but don't have a ripe avocado, try this delicious tahini-based version.
Ways to Use It
Thanks to the fresh herbs and zippy lemon flavor, I think this creamy green goddess is pretty much as versatile as dressing gets.
Use it as a sauce or dressing:
- potato salad
- pasta, warm or cold
- grain bowls
- bean salads
- green salads
As a spread:
- sandwiches and wraps
- toast and crostini
- sushi rolls
And as a dip:
- raw or roasted veggies
- falafel
- tofu and tempeh
- pita bread and crackers
I hope you enjoy this healthy avocado green goddess dressing. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know your favorite ways to use it!
Avocado Green Goddess Dressing (Oil-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped fresh parsley - About half of a large bunch.
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup fresh basil - About 10 to 12 leaves.
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium/large ripe avocado
- zest from half a lemon, optional
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- up to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
- ¼ to ½ cup water
Instructions
- In a food processor combine the parsley, chives, basil, and garlic, and blend until chunky, about 5 seconds.
- Slice the avocado, and scoop the flesh into the food processor. Add the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, ¾ tsp salt, pepper, and ¼ cup water. Process until as smooth as you like. For a thinner consistency add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon, as desired. Serve right away, or store in an airtight container until ready to use. See Notes for storage tips.
Notes
Storage
Store dressing in the refrigerator in a small, airtight container for up to 4 days. The dressing contains enough lemon juice and vinegar to prevent browning, so there's no need for a layer of oil or extra lemon juice on top. I suspect it's also freezer friendly, though I haven't tried freezing a batch. We usually finish off the whole batch within a couple of days.Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
marlene
Love it! I added tahini—fabulous. Thank you!
Raewyn
Absolutely, totally delicious!!! Everyone goes mm,mmm,mm - the smell, the flavour, it's foods from God!! Can be made so quickly, with a minimum of fuss!!! THANK YOU!!!