Green Goddess Salad with Cabbage

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, you’ve probably seen the viral Green Goddess Salad made famous by Baked by Melissa. If not, you’re in for a treat!

This vibrant, nutrient-packed Green Goddess Salad is as delicious as it is versatile. It’s a dip and a big fiber-filled healthy salad in one.

With some slight tweaks to the original recipe, this version is easy to make, loaded with flavor, and perfect for meal prep or serving at gatherings. 

Green Goddess Salad Benefits

• It’s Nutritious & Delicious: Packed with fresh veggies and a creamy, plant-based dressing, this salad is a nutritional powerhouse filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• It’s Customizable: Adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences or dietary needs. It’s GREAT as a dip with tortilla chips, or wrap up a big portion of it in a tortilla or pita for a healthy light meal or snack.
• It’s Perfect for Sharing: It’s a crowd-pleaser that works as a side dish or a light main course. It’s great to enjoy solo, or bring to a get together for everyone to enjoy.

The creamy plant-based dressing is good for everything, too! Adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences or dietary needs. It’s a crowd-pleaser that works as a side dish or a light main course.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Salad

For the Salad

• 1 small head green cabbage, finely chopped*
• 1 large English cucumber (or 3–4 baby cucumbers), small diced
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional, add them if you have them)

For the Dressing

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 large lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or flesh of 1 small avocado)
• 1/4 cup unsalted cashews (or nuts of your choice)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Optional: A few extra tablespoons of chives if you have more on hand

* Any cabbage works here. We use green for this “Green Goddess Salad,” but if you have purple cabbage, that works well, too.

I buy my nutritional yeast, cashews, rice vinegar, and most other pantry staples on Thrive Market to get the best prices. Here’s my Thrive Market link to get 40% off your first order.

How to Make Green Goddess Salad

1. Prep the Veggies Wash and chop the cabbage, cucumbers, chives, and green onions as finely as you’d like. I recommend cutting everything into confetti-sized pieces for the best texture. Place all the chopped veggies in a large mixing bowl.
2. Blend the Dressing
   In a blender, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and rice vinegar first. Then, add the basil, spinach, garlic, shallot, nuts, nutritional yeast, salt, and any extra chives. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with a splash of water if needed.
3. Assemble the Salad
   Pour the dressing over the chopped veggies. Mix well to ensure every piece is coated with the flavorful dressing.
4. Serve and Enjoy
   This salad tastes amazing right away but is even better after sitting for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors soak into the cabbage. Serve as a dip with tortilla chips, as a side dish or wrap it up in a tortilla, pita, or wrap for a light, plant-based meal.

Tips and Variations for Your Green Goddess Salad

1. Experiment with the Dressing

• Green Goddess Dressing Base: Use a mix of fresh herbs like parsley, tarragon, and basil to achieve a flavor-packed dressing. These herbs are loaded with vitamins and add a nutritious punch.
• Creamy Twists: Replace or enhance the olive oil with Greek yogurt or even avocado for a creamier texture. Each option brings its own unique flavor (and amount of macros & calories if you track that) to the dish.

2. Enhance the Nutrition

• Add more fiber and vitamins by incorporating shredded romaine or lettuce into the salad. This variation keeps the dish light while increasing its nutritional value.
• Sprinkle in feta cheese, parmesan cheese, or hard-boiled eggs for a boost of protein and flavor.

3. Customize Your Crunch

• For extra crunch, pair the salad with tortilla chips, pita chips, or fresh vegetables. These make excellent dippers if you serve the salad as a chunky dip.
• Toss in crispy bacon or toasted nuts for additional texture and flavor.

4. Get Creative with Add-Ons

• Transform this salad into a full meal by adding toppings like grilled chicken, shrimp,or roasted tomatoes. These options make it a Green Goddess-inspired Cobb Salad!
• Use red onions or roasted peppers for a sweet and tangy twist.

5. Use the Right Tools

• Useful tools: I recommend a sharp chef’s knife for precise chopping, a high-speed blender for a silky-smooth dressing, and a large mixing bowl for tossing all the ingredients together.
• If you want a finer texture, a shredding blade on a food processor can finely chop your salad ingredients or blend the green goddess salad dressing effortlessly. This ensures a cohesive texture that’s perfect for scooping.
• If you don’t have a food processor, a high-speed blender works just as well to emulsify the dressing ingredients.

6. Alternate Serving Ideas

• Serve your Green Goddess Salad over a bed of romaine or as a side dish to grilled proteins.
• Roll it into a tortilla to make a wrap, or stuff it into pita bread for a portable meal.

Storage & Meal Prep

Storage: If you have leftovers, they’ll keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days, though it’s best enjoyed within a day because cabbage gives off a lot of water when it sits in dressing.

Meal Prepping: It’s best to store the dressing and chopped veggies separately until serving if you plan to keep it or use it for meal prep. When stored separately, the veggies and dressing will keep 3-5 days, covered, in the refrigerator.

Find more healthy meal prep recipes here.

With these tips and variations, you can elevate your Green Goddess Salad into countless versions tailored to your taste and nutritional preferences. Have fun experimenting and make it your own!

Find more healthy salad recipes here.

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