Green goddess dressing, first popularized in California nearly a century ago, is turning up this summer in a range of New York kitchens beyond the standard salad bowl. On Wednesday afternoon, kitchen staff at a Midtown deli used the herb-heavy sauce as a dip for snap peas and cucumbers during lunch rush. At a Lower East Side café, a cook spread it on rye bread for a chicken sandwich, skipping the usual mayonnaise.
The dressing’s key ingredients—fresh herbs, mayonnaise, lemon, and anchovy—lend themselves to improvisation. At the Union Square Greenmarket, a vendor offered a version thickened with Greek yogurt, selling small containers for $9. Several home cooks noted that the dressing keeps well for three days refrigerated, making it a practical option for meal prepping during the hot months.
The current heat wave has also shifted preferences toward lighter meals. On Tuesday night, diners on a Brooklyn rooftop paired grilled shrimp with the dressing instead of tartar sauce. A chef at a Chelsea restaurant said diners are requesting green goddess as a sauce for steamed vegetables, often ordering it as an extra side.
Green goddess’s versatility is part of its appeal this season. It appears as a dip alongside crudités at backyard gatherings and as a sandwich spread at delis from Astoria to Park Slope. While recipes vary, the emphasis remains on fresh herbs, which are widely available now through local greenmarkets.