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This green goddess salad is one of those recipes that completely changed how I think about salad. Everything is chopped so finely that the finished bowl sits somewhere between a chopped salad and a chunky dip, creamy and crunchy all at once, and absolutely perfect for scooping up with pita chips.
The secret is a thick avocado and Greek yogurt dressing packed with fresh basil, parsley, and dill that coats every tiny piece of cabbage, kale, cucumber, apple, and celery.
If you love scoopable, shareable dishes, you might also enjoy my Texas caviar. And for a protein-packed main to serve alongside, try this oven baked salmon.
Green goddess salad ingredients
For the chopped salad
- Green cabbage: finely shredded or very finely chopped so the pieces are small enough to scoop onto a chip. This is the bulk of the salad and gives it great crunch.
- Kale: optional, but it adds extra green color and texture. Remove the tough center stems and chop the leaves very finely so they soften once coated in the dressing. You can skip it if you prefer.
- Cucumber: finely diced for freshness. No need to peel English or garden cucumbers, but peel thicker-skinned varieties.
- Granny Smith apple: finely diced into small cubes (not shredded) so you get little crunchy, sweet-tart bites throughout. Toss with lime juice right after cutting to keep it fresh.
- Celery: very finely diced for another layer of quiet crunch without overpowering the salad.
- Scallions: thinly sliced. They stay in the salad rather than the dressing so you get little pops of mild onion flavor.
- Fresh chives: finely chopped and mixed into the salad for a gentle savory note.
For the creamy green goddess dressing
- Avocados: ripe avocados make the dressing thick, creamy, and rich.
- Greek yogurt: full-fat Greek yogurt adds tang and protein, and works with the avocado to create a beautifully smooth, thick base.
- Fresh basil: the main herb in the dressing, providing that signature green goddess flavor.
- Fresh parsley: adds brightness and extra green color.
- Fresh dill: used in a smaller amount as an accent herb.
- Garlic: two cloves blended right into the dressing for savory depth.
- Lime juice: fresh lime juice brings citrus brightness and helps balance the richness of the avocado and yogurt.
- Rice vinegar: adds a clean, gentle acidity that complements the lime and rounds out the dressing.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: ties the dressing together and adds richness.
- Seasonings: fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Optional toppings
- Baby sweet green peas: thawed frozen peas scattered on top add pops of sweetness and a beautiful bright green finish. Follow your package instructions on whether they need cooking before eating.
- Fresh dill, chives, and lime slices: these are mainly for presentation and make the finished platter look stunning.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make green goddess salad
Start by preparing all the vegetables. Finely shred or very finely chop the green cabbage. The pieces should be quite small, much smaller than a traditional slaw. This fine chop is what makes the salad scoopable. If using kale, remove the tough center stems and chop the leaves very finely so they blend naturally into the cabbage.
Finely dice the cucumber and celery, keeping everything small and relatively uniform. Dice the Granny Smith apple into small cubes and immediately toss with fresh lime juice to keep it from browning. Thinly slice the scallions and finely chop the chives. Combine all the prepared vegetables and apple in a bowl so they are ready to go.
For the dressing, add the avocados, Greek yogurt, basil, parsley, dill, garlic, lime juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until completely smooth, thick, creamy, and bright green. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. The dressing should be thick and cohesive on its own, with no water or sweetener needed.
To assemble, pour the dressing into the bottom of a large serving bowl or deep platter. Pile all the chopped vegetables and apple on top. Toss everything thoroughly until every piece is evenly and generously coated. The finished texture should be somewhere between a chopped salad and a chunky dip, creamy and scoopable.
If using the optional toppings, scatter thawed baby sweet green peas over the surface, then finish with a little fresh dill, chives, and lime slices or wedges. Serve with plenty of pita chips for scooping.
Tips for the best results
- Chop everything very finely. This is the most important step. The vegetables should not feel like separate large salad pieces. When everything is small and uniform, the dressing coats each piece evenly and the salad becomes easy to scoop onto a pita chip or cracker.
- Keep the Granny Smith apple in small cubes rather than shredding it. The diced cubes hold their crunch and give you lovely sweet-tart bites. Tossing with lime juice right after cutting prevents browning, and once everything is coated in the acidic dressing, browning is much less of an issue.
- Do not add water or honey to the dressing. The avocado and Greek yogurt create a perfectly thick, balanced dressing on their own. The lime juice and rice vinegar provide enough brightness without needing sweetener.
Serving suggestions
This salad is designed to be scooped, so place the platter in the center of the table with something crunchy alongside it. Homemade pita chips are my top choice, but seed crackers or crispy tortilla chips work beautifully too.
For a full meal, serve it alongside oven baked salmon, grilled steak, shrimp scampi, or baked chicken breast. The creamy, fresh salad pairs especially well with something rich or grilled.
FAQs
Yes. Store the chopped vegetables and the dressing in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Toss them together just before serving for the freshest, crunchiest texture.
Absolutely. Because everything is chopped so finely and the dressing is thick, this salad works beautifully as a scoopable dip with pita chips, seed crackers, or sturdy crackers.
More salad recipes to try
If you love fresh, vibrant salads, give these a try next.
If you try this green goddess salad, I would love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and a comment below. Your feedback means so much and helps other readers find the recipe too.
Green Goddess Salad
Ingredients
For the Chopped Salad
- 4 packed cups green cabbage finely shredded or very finely chopped (about 14 oz)
- 1 cup kale finely chopped, tough center stems removed (optional)
- 2 1/2 cups cucumber finely diced
- 1 large Granny Smith apple finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice for tossing with the apple
- 2 celery stalks very finely diced
- 10 scallions thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh chives finely chopped
For the Creamy Green Goddess Dressing
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional Toppings
- Baby sweet green peas thawed (for garnish)
- Fresh dill for garnish
- Fresh chives for garnish
- Fresh lime slices or wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Finely shred or very finely chop the green cabbage. The pieces should be quite small, much smaller than a traditional slaw. This fine chop is what creates the scoopable texture.
- If using kale, remove and discard the tough center stems. Very finely chop the leaves so they blend naturally into the cabbage rather than feeling tough or leafy.
- Finely dice the cucumber and celery into small, relatively uniform pieces. Finely dice the Granny Smith apple into small cubes and immediately toss with 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice to prevent browning.
- Thinly slice the scallions and finely chop the chives. Combine all the prepared chopped vegetables and apple together so they are ready to add to the serving bowl.
- Add the avocados, Greek yogurt, basil, parsley, dill, garlic, lime juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until the dressing is completely smooth, thick, creamy, and bright green. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. The dressing should not need water or any sweetener.
- Pour the finished dressing into the bottom of a large serving bowl or deep platter and spread it slightly across the bottom. Pile all the chopped vegetables and apple directly on top of the dressing.
- Toss everything thoroughly in the serving bowl until all the vegetables are evenly and generously coated in the creamy dressing. The finished texture should be somewhere between a chopped salad and a chunky dip.
- If desired, scatter thawed baby sweet green peas over the top. Finish with a little fresh dill, chives, and lime slices or wedges for presentation. Serve with pita chips for scooping.
Video
Notes
- Chopping size matters: Everything should be finely chopped so the salad is easy to scoop onto a chip. This is not meant to be a chunky, fork-only salad.
- Apple: Dice into small cubes rather than shredding. The cubes hold their crunch and give sweet-tart bites. Toss with lime juice immediately after cutting.
- Dressing thickness: Do not add water or honey. The avocado and Greek yogurt create the right consistency on their own.
- Make ahead: For the best texture, store the chopped vegetables and dressing separately and toss together just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
