Green Goddess Salad (Healthy Dressing!)

5 from 9 votes
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Green goddess salad CAN be healthy while tasting indulgent and oh-so mouthwatering. This salad is exactly that, loaded with veggies and a healthy, homemade green goddess dressing. The dressing is healthy without compromising on flavor; in fact, it’s better this way!

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Green goddess salad originated from a fancy hotel restaurant in San Francisco. You’d think that making this salad at home would be time-consuming. You’d also think that a creamy dressing could not be healthy. I’m going to prove to you that both of these statements are incorrect! This green goddess salad recipe is easy to make AND healthy AND heavenly! Can I say it’s award-winning if I think it will win an award one day? HA!

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Green Goddess Salad

So what exactly is a green goddess salad? Typically a green goddess salad is defined by its distinctive green goddess dressing. Besides the staple dressing, the rest of the salad is pretty customizable.

My take on the green goddess salad involves lots of chopped veggies, and if you’re like me, you’ll add some smokey turkey bacon too!

Feel free to top your salad with some delicious chilled Poached Salmon, Hard Boiled Eggs, or sliced avocado to make it a full meal.

What is Green Goddess Dressing?

Green goddess is a salad dressing that’s creamy, tangy, and a beautiful light green color from a blend of fresh herbs.

In my green goddess dressing, I substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for the classic blend of sour cream and mayo. I actually prefer the flavor of nonfat Greek yogurt over the traditional blend…it just works out that it’s much healthier too!

This green goddess dressing is packed with flavor – from fresh lemon juice, garlic, a splash of white wine vinegar, and lots of fresh herbs.

Green Goddess Salad Ingredients

The Salad

  • Baby kale – baby kale is a tender and delicious base for our green goddess salad. I roughly chop it so that each piece of kale is extra coated with dressing.
  • Yellow cherry tomatoes – yellow cherry tomatoes are juicy, extra sweet and less acidic than red cherry tomatoes.
  • English cucumber – cucumber adds crunch and texture.
  • Sweet onion – sweet onion adds crunch, and when lightly pickled, they add a tangy sweetness.
  • Red wine vinegar – red wine vinegar mixed with water is perfect for pickling onion.

The Green Goddess Dressing

  • Nonfat Greek yogurt – not only is nonfat Greek yogurt healthy but it’s the best creamy, tangy base for the dressing.
  • Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil adds flavor and loosens the yogurt to make a dressing.
  • Garlic – garlic because garlic.
  • Lemon – lemon adds brightness and acidity.
  • Italian parsley – parsley adds delicious lemony undertones and gives the dressing its beautiful green color.
  • Chives – chives add a mild oniony, garlicky note and contributes to the dressing’s green color.
  • Tarragon – tarragon is pungent, so you need less of it, but it adds a delicious licorice,  fennel undertone.
  • White wine vinegar – a splash of white wine vinegar adds brightness and tang.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make the green goddess dressing ahead and store in the fridge, covered, for 5-7 days.

Dress the salad right before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is green goddess salad good for you?

This green goddess salad is good for you! The dressing is much healthier than your classic green goddess dressing…all tossed into fresh veggies (and turkey bacon, if you’d like!).

What does green goddess dressing taste like?

Green goddess is creamy, tangy and herbaceous. It’s honestly the best.

How long does green goddess dressing last?

Green goddess dressing lasts 5-7 days if left covered in the fridge. Toss your salad with dressing right before serving.

Recipe Variations & Additions

  • Regular kale instead of baby kale: you can use regular chopped kale instead of baby kale.
  • Regular cherry tomatoes instead of yellow cherry tomatoes: if you can’t find yellow tomatoes, you can use the regular red ones!
  • Add turkey bacon: I LOVE baking turkey bacon in the oven until its extra crispy and then chopping it and adding it to the salad. It’s the best addition.
  • Top with salmon: top your salad with salmon. My favorite kind is chilled Poached Salmon that’s extra tender and moist.
  • Top with avocado: add sliced avocado to the top of your salad.
  • Top with hard boiled eggs: top or mix in Hard Boiled Eggs to your salad!
Green Goddess Salad Topped With Poached Salmon

Other Salad Recipes You’ll Love On Tastefully Grace!

5 from 9 votes

Green Goddess Salad (Healthy Dressing!)

Green goddess salad CAN be healthy while tasting indulgent and oh-so mouthwatering. This salad is exactly that, loaded with veggies and a healthy, homemade green goddess dressing. The dressing is healthy without compromising on flavor; in fact, it’s better this way!
Prep: 35 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Equipment

  • Blender (or a food processor will work too)

Ingredients 

The Salad

  • 10 ounces baby kale
  • 10 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 English cucumber, chopped
  • 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar, for pickled onion
  • ½ cup cold water, for pickled onion
  • Optional: turkey bacon or other mix-ins or toppers, see notes below for more details

The Green Goddess Dressing

  • 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped and packed
  • ¼ cup fresh chives, roughly chopped and packed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped and packed
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • For the salad: in a bowl, add thinly sliced onion, water and red wine vinegar. Let onions pickle for 10 minutes.
  • Use a sharp knife to roughly chop baby kale on a large cutting board. Add chopped kale, cucumber, tomatoes and drained pickled onion (and crispy diced turkey bacon if desired) to a large salad bowl.
  • For the dressing: in a blender, add yogurt, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, chives, tarragon, white wine vinegar, and salt & pepper to taste. Blend until creamy and uniform, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
  • To assemble: add about three-quarters of the dressing to the salad and toss. Add more dressing if desired. Serve as-is or topped with one of the proteins in my notes below!

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Add turkey bacon: I LOVE baking turkey bacon in the oven until its extra crispy and then chopping it and adding it to the salad. It’s the best addition.
  • Top with salmon: top your salad with salmon. My favorite kind is chilled Poached Salmon that’s extra tender and moist.
  • Top with chicken: add juicy Baked Chicken Breast to your salad.
  • Top with avocado: add sliced avocado to the top of your salad.
  • Top with hard boiled eggs: top or mix in Hard Boiled Eggs to your salad!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7734IU | Vitamin C: 89mg | Calcium: 323mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 284
Keyword: any season, spring, summer
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About Grace Vallo

Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.

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