Green Goddess Dressing

Fresh parsley, chives, tarragon, lemon, and garlic make a creamy green dressing with a choice of chopped or blender-smooth texture and an easy thickness adjustment.

35 min

1.5 cups

Creamy pale green herb dressing with parsley, chive, and tarragon flecks in a ceramic bowl.

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tbsp fresh chives, finely sliced

1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

1 anchovy fillet, finely mashed, optional

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

Cutting board · Chef's knife · Fine grater · Mixing bowl · Whisk or spoon · Blender, optional

Keep the herbs dry

Dry herbs blend into the creamy base without watering it down, helping the dressing stay vivid and spoon-coating.

Choose the texture

Hand-chop for visible herb flecks or blend until smooth; thin gradually and stop while the dressing still clings to leaves.

Prepare the herbs

01. Rinse and dry parsley, chives, and tarragon thoroughly; zest and juice the lemon, grate the garlic, and mash the optional anchovy.

02. For a textured dressing, finely mince the herbs; for a smooth dressing, roughly chop parsley and tarragon for the blender.

Mix and adjust

03. Stir herbs with lemon, zest, garlic, salt, and pepper, or pulse the blender-bound herbs and aromatics until finely flecked; add chives and optional anchovy.

04. Fold in mayonnaise, or use sour cream instead for a tangier dressing, until the herbs are evenly suspended.

05. Stir in buttermilk a little at a time, or use cold water instead, stopping when the dressing falls in a slow ribbon but still coats greens.

Rest and serve

06. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes so the fresh herbs and garlic mellow into the creamy base.

07. Stir to resuspend the herbs and serve with salad greens or vegetables; add a small splash of the selected thinning liquid if chilled dressing has tightened.