Green Goddess Salad Recipe: Creamy, Crunchy & Easy (15 min prep!)

Green goddess salad first made waves at trendy California cafés, where something so simple could taste incredibly fresh and satisfying. The secret isn’t exotic ingredients or complicated techniques—it’s understanding how to balance creamy, herbaceous flavors with crisp textures that make every bite interesting.

Perfect for meal prep enthusiasts, busy families, or anyone who wants to eat more vegetables without sacrificing flavor. The dressing alone has become a staple—great on grain bowls, as a sandwich spread, or even as a dip for raw vegetables.

A quick note: These detailed techniques and tips aren’t just for this recipe—they’ll help you master fresh herb dressings, proper vegetable prep, and balanced salad-building for countless other dishes.

What Makes This Salad Different From Every Other “Healthy Bowl”

❀ Actually quick: 15 minutes from start to finish, including making the dressing from scratch

❀ Stays fresh longer: The avocado-yogurt dressing doesn’t separate or get watery like some homemade dressings

❀ Flexible foundation: Works with whatever vegetables you have—seasonal swaps keep it interesting year-round

❀ Genuinely filling: The creamy dressing and varied textures make this a satisfying meal, not just rabbit food

❀ Kid-approved: The mild herb flavor appeals to picky eaters who usually avoid green things

❀ Budget-smart: Uses affordable, grocery store staples—no hunting down expensive specialty ingredients

Ingredients

For the Green Goddess Dressing:

• 1 large ripe avocado – Should give slightly when pressed but not feel mushy. Overripe avocados make the dressing bitter

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves – Pack them loosely in the measuring cup. Wilted leaves are fine—they’ll blend smooth

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley – Flat-leaf has better flavor, but curly works fine. Don’t stress over stems; a few won’t hurt

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives – These add that subtle onion flavor. Green onion tops work perfectly as a substitute

• 1 clove garlic – Start with less if you’re sensitive to raw garlic. You can always add more

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice – About one large lemon. Meyer lemons are sweeter if you can find them

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – The good stuff makes a difference here since you’re not cooking it

• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt – Full-fat creates the best texture, but 2% works fine too

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt – Start with less; you can always add more after tasting

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper – Pre-ground works, but fresh tastes noticeably better

For the Salad:

• 8 cups mixed greens – Butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or spring mix all work. Avoid pre-washed bags if possible—they wilt faster

• 1 large English cucumber – Regular cucumbers work fine; just peel and remove seeds if they’re large

• 1 cup sugar snap peas – Look for bright green color and crisp snap when you bend them

• 1 medium ripe avocado – For slicing. Choose one slightly less ripe than for the dressing

• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds – Called pepitas in stores. Raw ones work but toasted taste much better

• 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs – Whatever you used in the dressing, for finishing

Fresh herb tip: Wrap herbs in slightly damp paper towels, then store in plastic bags in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for over a week this way.

Money-saving note: Buy herbs from ethnic grocery stores—they’re often half the price and twice the size of regular supermarket packages.

Step Inside My Kitchen: How This Salad Actually Comes Together

Start with the dressing because the flavors improve as they sit together. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into your food processor or blender. Add the basil, parsley, chives, and minced garlic. The herbs don’t need to be perfectly chopped since you’re blending everything anyway.

Add the liquid ingredients to the herb mixture: lemon juice, olive oil, and Greek yogurt. The lemon juice should go in before the yogurt to prevent any curdling (though it’s unlikely with Greek yogurt). Start blending on low speed, then increase to high.

Blend until completely smooth, about 60-90 seconds depending on your machine. Stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. The finished dressing should be pale green, creamy, and smooth enough to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until you reach the right consistency.

Season and taste the dressing carefully. Add the salt and pepper, blend briefly, then taste with a piece of lettuce or cucumber. The flavor should be bright, creamy, and herbaceous. Add more lemon juice if it tastes flat, more salt if the flavors seem muted, or more herbs if you want it more vibrant.

Prep your vegetables while the dressing flavors develop. Wash the greens thoroughly and dry them completely—wet greens make watery salads. A salad spinner works best, but clean kitchen towels work fine too. Slice the cucumber into half-moons about 1/4-inch thick.

Prepare the snap peas by trimming the stem ends and removing the strings if they’re tough. You can leave them whole for more crunch, or slice them diagonally for easier eating. Test one first—some snap peas are tender enough to eat whole, others benefit from a quick slice.

Slice the second avocado right before assembling to prevent browning. Cut it lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices, then gently toss with a squeeze of lemon juice. This keeps the slices looking fresh and adds a bit more brightness to balance the rich dressing.

Assemble your green goddess salad by arranging the greens in a large serving bowl or individual plates. Scatter the cucumber and snap peas throughout, then drizzle with about half the dressing. Add the avocado slices on top, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve extra dressing on the side.

Small Tweaks, Big Wins

❀ Toast your own pumpkin seeds: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add the seeds, and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant. The difference in flavor is dramatic, and they’ll stay crunchier longer.

❀ Make dressing in batches: This recipe makes enough dressing for 2-3 salads. Store extra in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Give it a good shake before using since natural separation is normal.

❀ Control the garlic heat: Raw garlic varies wildly in intensity. Start with half a clove, taste, then add more if needed. Garlic that’s been stored a long time tends to be stronger and more bitter than fresh garlic.

❀ Layer your textures: The best salads have multiple textures in every bite. Soft avocado, crisp vegetables, crunchy seeds, and tender greens create interest that keeps you coming back for more.

❀ Dress just before serving: While the vegetables can be prepped hours ahead, don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to eat. Dressed greens wilt quickly, and nobody wants soggy lettuce.

The Questions Everyone Asks Before Making It

➲ Can I make this green goddess salad without a food processor?

Absolutely. Use a regular blender, immersion blender, or even mash everything by hand with a fork. For hand-mashing, chop the herbs very finely first, mash the avocado smooth, then whisk in the other ingredients. The texture won’t be quite as smooth, but it’ll still taste great.

➲ What other vegetables work well in this salad?

Radishes add peppery crunch, cherry tomatoes bring sweetness, and thinly sliced fennel adds an interesting anise note. Blanched asparagus, sugar snap peas, or green beans work beautifully too. The key is mixing textures and keeping everything fairly mild so the herb dressing remains the star.

➲ How do I keep the avocado from browning?

Besides the lemon juice trick, you can store cut avocado with a piece of onion (sounds weird, but it works), or press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. For the dressing, the acid from the lemon juice and yogurt helps prevent browning for several days.

➲ Can I use this dressing on other things?

This dressing is fantastic on grain bowls, as a sandwich spread, drizzled over grilled vegetables, or as a dip for raw vegetables. Try it on roasted sweet potatoes or as a sauce for grilled chicken. The herb combination works with almost anything.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Bowl

What started as curiosity about a café salad has become one of my most-requested recipes. The beauty of this green goddess salad lies in its simplicity—fresh ingredients, a creamy herb dressing, and the confidence to let good produce shine without overcomplicating things.
This recipe teaches you the fundamentals of building balanced salads and creating herb-based dressings that work for countless other dishes. Once you understand these techniques, you’ll find yourself experimenting with different herb combinations and seasonal vegetables.

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Ready to give this a try? Let me know in the comments how your green goddess salad turned out, and don’t hesitate to share any creative additions you discovered. Tag us on @Instagram when you make this—there’s something so satisfying about seeing a beautiful, fresh salad come together in someone else’s kitchen.