The Best Green Goddess Salad

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I’ve been making a version of the Green Goddess Salad for years, but it is nothing like this viral version made popular on TikTok by Baked By Melissa! What’s amazing about her version is the creamy green goddess salad dressing that covers the salad, making it great for dipping with tortilla chips. If you have a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier or go vegan, this salad should be in your recipe book. It’s packed with fresh cabbage, cucumbers, and spinach, tossed with green onions and the most flavorful Green Goddess salad dressing. If you love chopped salads, you are going to love The Best Green Salad. This salad is one of my favorites to make, and you can customize it to your specifications whether you are vegan or not.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE IT

• Cabbage
• Cucumber
• Green Onion
• Chives
• Lemon
• Rice Vinegar
• Garlic
• Basil
• Spinach
• Nuts
• Onion
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• Parmesan Cheese/Nutritional Yeast

WHAT IS GREEN GODDESS DRESSING?

This dressing is a lovely shade of green which is what inspires the name “Green Goddess.” The recipe originated in San Francisco and had anchovies, green onions, parsley, tarragon, mayo, sour cream, and chives all blended into a dressing. The dressing we make today doesn’t have many of the classic ingredients. There are no anchovies, mayo, or sour cream, thus making it vegan. The dressing is a copycat version of vegan pesto. It also has an addictive cheesiness to it because of the nutritional yeast or parmesan whichever you choose.

HOW TO PREPARE THE BEST GREEN GODDESS SALAD?

In a large bowl add your cabbage, cucumber, chives, and green onions. Toss to mix.

In a blender or food processor, add the dressing ingredients,and liquids first: lemon juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, onion, basil leaves, spinach, parmesan cheese, nuts, and salt. Blend until smooth.

Add the dressing to the bowl with the diced vegetables and mix well. 

Enjoy it on its own, on tacos, as a side with protein, or scooped up with tortilla chips!

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS?

• Can I make this in advance?  Absolutely! Cabbage is hearty and you can make this in advance, it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, just make sure to give it a good stir before serving. I actually prefer to make this one day ahead and let it marinate in the refrigerator. This is the kind of salad tastes amazing the day after because the cabbage softens and will soak up the dressing. It’s similar to how coleslaw tastes perfectly fine a couple of days after you make it.

• What if I really don’t like cabbage? If you don’t care for cabbage, use shredded romaine lettuce, broccoli, or chopped kale. Basically, any green vegetable would work.

• How long can I keep the dressing in the refrigerator? The dressing can sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days just make sure you keep it in an airtight container.

• What type of nuts should I use? If you’re allergic to nuts or just plain don’t like them, you can substitute any other nut or just leave it out completely. Some nuts to try: almonds, walnuts, pecans, pepita, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios, or even sunflower seeds.

• Can I use another type of vinegar? If you only have another kind of vinegar at home you can feel free to substitute. Substitutes include white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

ENDLESS SALAD VARIATIONS

This salad can be prepared vegan or not. Other ingredients that can be added to customize this salad include:

• Make it a meal by adding crumbled crispy bacon, diced chicken, or firm tofu crumbles for protein.
• Top it with blue cheese crumbles adding a sharp, creamy, and peppery flavor.
• If you like spice add one jalapeños to the blender when preparing the dressing.
• Make it a “Guacamole Green Goddess Salad” by adding 3 diced avocados and the juice of one lime to the salad.
• You can add even more green goodness to The Best Green Goddess Salad by substituting the cabbage for shredded Brussels sprouts, chopped spinach, and shredded kale.

CRAVING MORE LUNCH IDEAS? TRY THESE!

• Simple Chicken Salad

• Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad

• Cheesy Taco Skillet (Keto)