Loads of fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and nutty sesame tahini make this 5-minute vegan green goddess dressing! Wonderfully creamy, tangy, and herby, this rich green tahini sauce is a delicious condiment you’ll be using in so many ways!
Green goddess dressing is one of those classics that have seen fun variations over the years, and especially lately, thanks to TikTok. And if you’re a fan of the delicious green sauce but want something a little bit different (and maybe even lighter), this vegan green goddess sauce with loads of fresh herbs, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice is worth a try!
Tahini sauce with loads of herbs isn't a new thing, really, it's been around in parts of the Middle East and in Egypt for a while (we called it tahini bil bakdonis, or parsley tahini sauce). This tahini green goddess dressing is a riff of that, except I use a variety of herbs.
This recipe takes just 5 minutes to make, and you can keep it in the fridge for days to use it when you need to!
What is green goddess dressing?
Classic green goddess dressing is a bright green sauce that usually contains things like sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and anchovies. It is bold and creamy with a hint of umami from the anchovies. You can say that green goddess sauce is somewhat similar to the French herby mayonnaise, sauce verte.
A fun vegan riff that is equally creamy!
Today’s green goddess recipe is a vegan riff on the classic, but it is equally herby and creamy without the use of dairy or mayonnaise! The secret ingredient is none other than tahini! I simply love the rich, nutty undertones sesame tahini paste lends to this green dressing. Still, this green tahini sauce is as herby, zesty, and bold as can be, thanks to a trio of herbs (parsley, cilantro, and dill), lemon juice, garlic, and creamy tahini.
What is it made of?
You just need a few simple ingredients for this green tahini sauce:
- Fresh herbs - I use parsley, cilantro, and dill, but mint, basil, and tarragon would all be delicious options!
- Green onion - You’ll need the white and green parts, chopped.
- Garlic - Roughly chopped: No need to mince as it’s going into the food processor!
- Red pepper flakes - Optional, but I love the very subtle heat.
- Tahini - My favorite organic tahini is nutty and nutritious, with a creamy texture.
- Lemon juice - The juice of 2 lemons add just the right amount of tang.
- Water - You’ll need anywhere from ¼ to 1 cup of water, depending on what consistency you want the green goddess dressing to be.
How to make vegan green goddess dressing recipe
In 5 minutes, you can have a zesty, garlicky vegan green goddess dressing. All you need are a few fresh ingredients, tahini, and a food processor (or a high-speed blender). Start by adding the cilantro, parsley, dill, green onion, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Season with a big pinch of kosher salt and red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper (optional, but highly recommended for some mild heat). Blend until everything is finely chopped, and then add tahini and the juice of 2 lemons. Run the food processor again until smooth and creamy. At this point, you can play with the consistency by adding a little water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
(If you plan to use this as a salad dressing, you’ll want it to be runny so you can drizzle it. But otherwise, you can keep it more thick and creamy to use more as a dip).
Variations
There are so many ways to make this gluten-free green tahini sauce your own! Here are some ideas:
- Add jalapenos. For a spicy vegan green goddess dressing, slice up a couple of jalapenos into rounds and toss them into the food processor with the herbs and other ingredients.
- Use different herbs. Parsley, cilantro, and dill are my go-to fresh herbs for this tahini green goddess dressing, but you can use whatever you prefer or have on hand. Mint, basil, tarragon, and chives would all be delicious options. You can play around with the quantities until you have the perfect herby tahini sauce for you.
- Add capers. Typically, green goddess dressing calls for anchovy fillets. On top of not being vegan-friendly, I know anchovies can be polarizing. The solution? Capers! If you like them, capers will add a briny flavor while keeping this recipe plant-based.
What to put green goddess dressing on
Once you make this easy dressing or sauce, you’ll find so many ways to use it! Green goddess salad dressing over your favorite fresh salad is amazing! It’s also great as a dip on a crudités platter, or drizzled over grilled meat and fish (great on lamb and salmon kebabs, for example). Use it on lettuce wraps or with your dinner bowls.
Make ahead tips
Vegan green goddess dressing is a great make-ahead condiment because it tastes even better after it has chilled in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. So feel free to make it several hours to a day before you want to serve it, to give the flavors a chance to meld even more.
How to store it
Store plant-based green goddess dressing in a 12-ounce Mason jar with a tight lid. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More green sauce recipes to try:
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Vegan Green Goddess Dressing with Tahini
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups packed fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems
- 1 ½ cups packed fresh cilantro or basil, leaves and tender stems
- ½ cup packed fresh dill, or 1 to 2 teaspoons dry dill weed
- 1 green onion, trimmed, white and green parts, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- Kosher salt
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 lemons, juice of
- Water, ¼ to 1 cup
Variation
- Add 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced into rounds (for a hot vegan green goddess dressing)
Instructions
- Add the fresh herbs, dried dill weed, green onion, and garlic to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade. (If making the hot version, add the jalapenos here as well). Season with a big pinch of kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Close the lid and run the processor to finely chop the herbs.
- Add the tahini and lemon juice. Close the lid and run the processor again until well-combined. Stop and scrape the sides down. The mixture will be thick at this point.
- Run the processor again, this time, drizzle water through the top opening. You will need anywhere from ¼ cup of water to 1 cup of water until the mixture turns creamy and runny to your liking (I wanted mine more like a dressing, so I used about ¾ cup of water).
- Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Use or transfer the green goddess dressing to a 12-ounce mason jar and cover tightly. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields 1 ½ cups of green tahini sauce (enough to fill a 12-ounce Mason jar).
- Variations: Use jalapenos for a spicy kick, swap out the herbs to use what you like (basil, mint, tarragon, and chives work very well), or add capers for some briny flavor.
- How to use it: It’s great on a crudités platter, drizzled over grilled meat and fish, shrimp lettuce wraps, or with your dinner bowls. You can also use it as homemade dressing for fresh salads. I’ve even used it in pita sandwiches with shawarma and lamb kabobs!
- Make ahead tips: Vegan green goddess dressing is a great make-ahead condiment because it tastes even better after it has chilled in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. So feel free to make it several hours to a day before you want to serve it, to give the flavors a chance to meld even more.
- How to store green tahini sauce: Store in a 12-ounce Mason jar with a tight lid. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I absolutely loved this! Thanks for another great recipe!
The bomb!
I love everything about you and your cooking
Awww! You are so sweet, Lisa! Thank you!
Nothing about this recipe takes 5 minutes. Plan for 15-20min.
Loved this! I drizzled it over your Crispy Rice Salmon Bowl and it was excellent. I just saw your marinated chicken thighs with this and will be doing that next week - after I make another batch. I added the jalapeno because I had one to use-gave it quite the kick!