This delicious Green Goddess Salad combines cabbage, cucumber, green onions, avocado, broccoli, and sunflower seeds in a velvety dressing with a creamy base of mayonnaise, sour cream, and fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, basil, mint, and cilantro.

This is one of our favorite salads. It has a lot of texture and flavor, it is easy to make, and it is always a crowd favorite.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture. You can substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
- Anchovy paste: It can be found at the grocery store in the same aisle as other canned fish, such as tuna and sardines. Once opened, store it in the refrigerator, and it will last about 3 months.
- Fresh herbs: Such as parsley, dill, chives, and tarragon. Use basil, mint, and cilantro as customary secondary herbs.
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed.
- Green cabbage: Traditional green cabbage is best with this salad, although variations might include romaine mixed with butter lettuce, spinach, or kale.
- Cucumber: English cucumbers work best for this salad. Their skins are less tough, so peeling is not necessary, and the seeds are so small they are barely noticeable.
- Avocado: Not always traditional, but it adds a creamy element to the salad. If you are new to choosing ripe avocados, pick up an extra one in case you select one that is overripe.
- Sunflower seeds: You can substitute pepitas, which are shelled pumpkin seeds.
How To Make Green Goddess Salad
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Add the mayo, sour cream, anchovy paste, garlic, parsley, dill, chives, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until well combined.
- Add the green cabbage, cucumber, green onions, avocado, sunflower seeds, and broccoli to a large serving bowl.
- Add the desired amount of dressing and toss to coat.

Make Ahead Instructions
Make the dressing 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Chop all the vegetables except the avocado and store them in separate bags. When ready to serve, combine the vegetables, chop and add the avocado, drizzle with the prepared dressing, and toss to coat.
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken: popcorn chicken, chicken cutlets, and marinated grilled chicken
- Shrimp: coconut shrimp, grilled shrimp, and shrimp po’ boy
- Sandwiches: chicken salad, broiled tomato sandwich, and cucumber sandwiches

More Salad Recipes

Green Goddess Salad
Ingredients
Green Goddess Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1 clove garlic, quartered
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Green Goddess Salad
- 1 small head green cabbage, cored and finely chopped
- 1 English cucumber, finely chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted
Instructions
- Add the mayo, sour cream, anchovy paste, garlic, parsley, dill, chives, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the green cabbage, cucumber, green onions, avocado, broccoli, and sunflower seeds to a large serving bowl.
- Add the desired amount of dressing and toss to coat. I usually add a cup of dressing to start. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
- This salad is best served promptly.
- Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for about a day before the avocado starts browning.














Cindy Orley
This was a really good green goddess salad. It was so refreshing and the dressing was so creamy. It’s exactly what I needed in this cold winter. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Cindy!
Karletta
Delicious and fresh. Perfect for our summer bbq’s. I used the yoghurt substitute and it worked out very nicely.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked the salad, Karletta!
Sonia
This is the kind of salad that was actually exciting to eat. Bright, crunchy, and full of flavor. I will make the delicious dressing on repeat and use it on all sorts of things, not just this salad. It was amazing!
Beth Pierce
I agree, Sonia! We love it, too!
Barbie
This salad was delicious. For a full meal add some chicken or shrimp. The dressing is amazing.