The green goddess salad became a genuine cultural moment when Baked by Melissa’s version went viral — a combination of finely shredded iceberg lettuce, cucumber, spring onion, and a vivid green dressing that was described, across thousands of social media posts, as “life-changing.” Google confirmed it as one of the top-trending recipe searches, and it has remained there.
This vegan green goddess version replaces the traditional anchovy-and-mayo dressing with a tahini-herb dressing that is simultaneously lighter, more nutritious, and — I will say it plainly — more interesting in flavour. Tahini provides the fat and creaminess, avocado adds body, fresh basil and tarragon deliver the “goddess” colour and fragrance, and lemon keeps the whole thing bright.
With 390,000 monthly searches globally, this recipe earns its place as the highest-search-volume recipe in this collection.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the green goddess dressing:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 60ml tahini
- A large handful of fresh basil
- A small handful of fresh tarragon (or extra basil if unavailable)
- 4 spring onions (green parts only)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 60–80ml cold water (to thin)
- Salt and pepper
For the salad:
- ½ head iceberg lettuce, very finely shredded
- ½ head green cabbage, very finely shredded
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, finely diced
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 150g frozen edamame, cooked and cooled
- A handful of fresh chives, snipped
- 3 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 lemon, for serving
Method
Step 1: Blend all dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender, starting with 60ml water. Blend until completely smooth and vivid green. Add more water if too thick — the dressing should be pourable but coat a spoon heavily. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste: it should be creamy, bright, garlicky, and herbaceous.
Step 2: Finely shred the lettuce and cabbage — the key to this salad is the extremely fine shred that allows the dressing to coat every strand. Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife.
Step 3: Combine the shredded vegetables, cucumber, spring onion, and edamame in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss aggressively until everything is coated. The dressing should turn the entire salad a light green.
Step 4: Serve immediately, topped with chives, pumpkin seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Why this works: The fine shred of the cabbage and lettuce is non-negotiable. Large pieces of lettuce do not pick up the dressing properly and the texture is inconsistent. Fine shredding creates a slaw-like base where every forkful is evenly dressed and textured.