Creamy Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing is a classic recipe, celebrating the first flavors of Spring with a mixture of fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, and chives. The traditional recipe uses mayonnaise and sour cream. This healthy, plant-based vegan version swaps out for silken tofu. Fresh lemon adds brightness while Dijon adds a subtle tang.
What’s the History Behind Green Goddess?
This creation of Green Goddess dressing was likely an homage to an actor’s performance. Chef Philip Roemer of San Francisco’s Palace Hotel invented it in 1923 to honor actor George Arliss, who performed in William Archer’s “The Green Goddess”. The play is about a couple who survive a plane crash in the Himalayas only and find themselves in a temple for a green god. They are captured by Raja undergo a dramatic whirlwind of events. The salad dressing has become synonymous with California cuisine and fresh, herbaceous flavors.
While you might never have heard of the play (or the actor), you’ll find this Green Goddess salad dressing on menus today, all over the US. Long before the Food Network and the rise of celebrity chefs, dishes like this were created to gain buzz and notoriety. Another recipe like this is Waldorf Salad, named for the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel where it was first created.
Using Tofu to Replace Dairy for Vegan Recipe
Tofu makes a delicious and healthy replacement for dairy in many vegan recipes. You can use both silken and firm tofu in various ways to replace milk, eggs, cheese, buttermilk, and pudding. Some of my favorite plant-based recipes that use tofu instead of dairy are:
- Silken tofu replaces pudding in Vegan Tofu Lemon Curd with Berries
- Silken tofu can also be used to replace milk for a creamy Strawberry Banana smoothie
- Firm tofu can be used as a substitute for cheese with Tofu Vegan Feta Cheese
- Firm tofu can be crumbled and sprinkled with yellow turmeric to replace eggs in an easy Tofu Scramble
- Firm tofu can be cubed and used to add healthy, plant-based vegan protein to Almond Butter Pad Thai, Black Forbidden Rice Asian Miso Bowl, and Vietnamese Orange Ginger Stir-Fry
Ways to Enjoy Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
This dressing is a delicious, plant-based condiment with lots of uses. You can enjoy it as a vegan alternative anywhere you would typically enjoy sour cream, ranch dressing, or mayo. Use this to top Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Green Goddess Dressing, Chickpea Garden Veggie Burgers, Twice-Baked Smoky, Cheezy Stuffed Potatoes, on salad, or as a dip for crudité vegetables.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Other Herbs: Use up other fresh herbs in this dressing. Chervil, cilantro, and basil bring slight flavor variations. Avoid using woodsy herbs like rosemary or sage. Their flavors are too strong.
Make it Raw: For a raw version of this, swap out the tofu for 1 cup of raw cashews + 1/2 seedless cucumber. Soake the cashews overnight to soften. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews before pureeing with the other ingredients.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, and oil is one of the biggest culprits. This oil-free dressing uses the healthy fat of whole walnuts for a rich, creamy flavor. The walnuts have other key nutrients (like calcium and iron) while oil is just fat.
Watch to Learn More about Oil-Free Dressing:
Print Recipe
Green Goddess Silken Tofu Dressing – Oil-Free, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package organic silken tofu
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup .75 ounces fresh tarragon
- 1 bunch parsley stems removed
- 2 tablespoons chives
- 3 green onions green parts only
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water as needed
Instructions
- To make the Green Goddess Dressing: Combine all ingredients except the water in a blender. Puree until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the water until you get a thick, yet pourable, consistency. You want something similar to thick sour cream. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- Serve slightly chilled.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 10.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 38 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 3 g | 5 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 2 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 63 mg | 3 % |
| Potassium 79 mg | 2 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 2 g | 1 % |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 1 % |
| Sugars 0 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 8 % |
| Vitamin A | 6 % |
| Vitamin C | 6 % |
| Calcium | 15 % |
| Iron | 14 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Shopping and Gear List
- FISHER Chef’s Naturals Chopped Walnuts, No Preservatives, Non-GMO, 10 oz
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I just made soy yogurt in my IP for the first time. I wonder if I could use that instead of tofu and just not add extra water? The recipe sounds yummy!
Good idea! I think the consistency would be a little thinner with the soy yogurt, but if you skip the water you should be close. Sometimes I add an avocado to help thicken. Let me know how it goes. Thanks,
Can this be made ahead of time? How long does this keep? Thank you.
Yes you can make it ahead of time. Tofu-based dressings last about 1 week in the fridge. You may to stir it again, but the flavors are even better after a day 🙂