I have seen this Viral Green Goddess Salad by Baked By Melissa doing the rounds on socials for so long now and I finally understand why. I didn’t realise a salad could taste so amazing, it’s creamy, tangy, crunchy and SO addictive (especially when you eat it with tortilla chips!). It’s vegan and literally packed with goodness – the tastiest way to get your veggies in. It’s also great for meal prep and stays crunchy!
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Introducing… The Green Goddess Salad!
Well, the actual ‘green goddess’ bit is more of a dressing than the actual salad itself. So… introducing the green goddess dressing?
Anyway.
I’m sure you’ve heard of it by now! It’s been doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram for the last year or two (and for good reason – it’s wonderful!).
The salad apparently originates in the United States, having been made to honour the actor George Arliss (and his play, ‘The Green Goddess’); but has recently become more popular due to an EXTREMELY viral social media post by Baked By Melissa a couple of years ago (thank you for bringing it to our attention, Melissa!)
Regardless, it’s a salad dressing you absolutely HAVE to try! And the beauty of it is, is that it’s extremely versatile! You can play around with what goes in it, what it goes on, and what you serve it with, to your heart’s content!
What Goes in a Green Goddess Salad?
So, just to clarify. My recipe isn’t the traditional green goddess dressing. In fact, it’s quite far from the original in terms of ingredients. It is however a recipe inspired by the flavours, colours and textures (but, quite importantly, vegan!).
The original recipe, which itself was a twist on a french dressing, contained: anchovies, scallions, parsley, tarragon, chives, mayonnaise, and vinegar.
Several of these, for us plant based eaters, are of course a big no no.
My Vegan Green Goddess Salad Ingredients…
Cashews: I blend my cashews into a creamy, neutral base for the dressing
Fresh chives: Chives give that mild onion flavour (and are green – so naturally should go into a green goddess salad…)
Lemon juice: Adds a little acidity to cut through the richness
Garlic: The best thing in the world
Shallot: Adds a little sweetness to the salad.
Fresh basil: Delivers that sweet and peppery flavour along with its beautiful vibrant green colour
Baby spinach: Nutrient packed and gives a mild earthiness to the salad.
Extra virgin olive oil: A super food in its own right!
Nutritional yeast: Contributes a slight cheesy, umami flavour
Apple cider vinegar: Enhances the dressing’s tang
How To Put Your Stamp on This Wonderful Salad
The beauty of the green goddess dressing is that it doesn’t just work with salads – it works with all sorts of dishes! But, if you want to play around with your salad here’s a few ideas…
Change Up The Veggies…
First thing’s first. You’ve got to try different combinations of green vegetables!
I’m thinking Shredded Kale, Romaine Lettuce, or White Cabbage (though this may disrupt the colour scheme a little…). Or, just throw it all in there! Your call…
NUTS
Some people are allergic, some people don’t like them (what?), and some people want to mix things up a bit. I get it.
Swap, or add in things like Sunflower Seeds or Hemp Seeds in to the dressing!
More Protein Please
Us plant based folk get a bad rep for our protein consumption. BUT, I think many of us do just fine.
If you’re after a little more protein, consider adding chickpeas, marinated tofu or even edamame!
Get Creative with your Herbs!
Play around with Parsley, Coriander, Dill or even some Mint! The beauty of this recipe creation game is that you can try anything you like.
Fancy a Little Sweetness?
Try a little diced apple, or pear. OR… perhaps some dried cranberries?
MoRe CrEaM!
Throw an avocado in to the dressing! Start off with a little, then gradually add more for your desired consistency.
How to Make My Green Goddess Salad…
Step 1: Chop the veggies
I start by finely chopping the cabbage, dicing the cucumber, and slicing the spring onions. These then go into a nice and big mixing bowl ready for the dressing.
Step 2:Blend the dressing
Into my blender (I use a nutribullet typically), I add the cashews, chives, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, basil, spinach, olive oil (starting with ⅓ cup), nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
If the dressing’s too thick, I add a little more olive oil or a splash of water. If you want more zing, I’d squeeze in a little extra lemon juice.
Step 3: Combine everything
Then, you simply pour the dressing over the chopped veggies and toss well until every piece is coated in that gorgeous creamy green sauce!
Viral Green Goddess Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 a medium white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage chopped
- 1 a medium cucumber diced
- 10 spring onions / scallions chopped
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1 large handful fresh chives
- 1 small lemon juiced
- 2 large cloves garlic peeled
- 1 shallot, peeled or you can use 1/4 brown or white onion
- 1 loosely packed cup fresh basil
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a blender and lend until smooth – taste test and add any more flavourings to your preference and blend again (eg. for a tangier flavour, add more lemon juice). If it is too thick to blend, add more oil
- Assemble the salad by adding the chopped cabbage, spring onions and cucumber to a large serving bowl.
- Pour over the creamy dressing and toss to combine. Serve and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for upto 4-5 days. If preparing for meal prep, store the dressing separately and assemble when ready to eat.
How to Store Green Goddess Salad So It Stays Fresh
First of all, can the green goddess salad be meal prepped in advance?
My recipe certainly can! (and I think most others can too!)
If you mix the green goddess dressing into the salad (dry) ingredients, it’s likely to last 48-72 hours in the fridge.
If you keep the dressing in an air tight jar however (with the dry ingredients separate), you can probably extend things by another day or two.
Can it be Frozen?
The dressing part can be, absolutely! Just don’t add the lemon in. Once you decide to thaw it, you can stir the lemon in then.
Loved this Green Goddess Dressing Recipe?
You’re going to have to try my Green Goddess Butterbeans!
Green Goddess Frequently Asked Questions
Is Green Goddess Anti-inflammatory?
Not all green goddess recipes will be, but my specific recipe has anti-inflammatory properties… The cabbage, cucumber, spinach and cashews all have some elements that can contribute to reducing inflammation.
Is green goddess salad healthy?
Again, I’m sure not all recipes for the green goddess dressing are ‘completely’ healthy – but most of them are. There’s a lot of goodness in the dressing (recipe dependent…)
What’s in a green goddess salad?
The beauty of the salad / dressing is that you can customise it however you want! You can add shallots, cabbage, cucumber, spinach, peas, kale, microgreens, cashews, pistachios sunflower seeds, basil, chopped chives… the list is pretty much endless!
Why is it called green goddess salad?
Legend has it that the original recipe was created in honour of an actor who starred in a play called ‘The Green Goddess‘
2 Comments
Right up my alley,
Tks !
Going to give these a try thank you ☺️