This vegan green goddess dressing is a vibrant, herby blend of fresh parsley, dill, and scallion, brightened with lemon and thickened with creamy tahini instead of the mayonnaise or sour cream found in most versions. It comes together in the food processor in under five minutes, with no cooking required.

Photos by Evan Atlas.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Fresh parsley. The backbone of this dressing's color and flavor — use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley if you can find it, since it tends to be milder than curly parsley. In a pinch, swap in a mix of parsley and baby spinach for a slightly sweeter, less assertive dressing.
• Tahini. This sesame seed paste gives the dressing its richness and creamy texture without any dairy. Look for a smooth, pourable tahini rather than one that has separated or gone stiff in the jar — give it a good stir before measuring. Cashew butter or a store-bought vegan mayo can stand in if you're out of tahini, though the flavor will lean sweeter and less nutty.
• Cucumber. Adds moisture and a cool, fresh crunch that lightens the dressing. English or Persian cucumbers work well since they have fewer seeds; regular cucumbers are fine too, just peel and seed them first as the recipe calls for.
• Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice brightens the whole dressing and keeps the herbs tasting fresh rather than flat. Start with the juice of half a lemon, taste, and add more if you want extra tang — bottled lemon juice works in a pinch but won't be quite as vibrant.
• Scallion. Contributes a mild, fresh onion flavor without overpowering the herbs. A small shallot or a couple tablespoons of chopped chives make good substitutes if scallions aren't available.
• Fresh dill and/or basil. These add a second layer of herbal flavor on top of the parsley. Use one or the other, or both if you have them — fresh tarragon is a nice substitute if you want a slightly anise-like note instead.
• Salt. Just enough to bring all the flavors together. Start with a little less than you think you need, since the tahini and lemon both add their own intensity.
• Freshly ground pepper. A few grinds finishes the dressing with a little warmth. Black pepper is traditional, but a pinch of white pepper works too if you don't want visible flecks.

Helpful Tips

Taste as you go. Because this dressing is essentially a handful of raw ingredients blended together, its flavor depends entirely on how fresh and potent your parsley, lemon, and tahini are. Taste after the first minute of processing and adjust the salt, lemon, or pepper before you decide it's finished.

Use a real food processor if you can. A food processor minces the parsley and dill much more finely and evenly than a blender does, which gives the dressing its classic flecked, creamy texture. If a blender is all you have, stop and scrape down the sides more often so the herbs don't just clump around the blades.

Let it rest before serving. Green goddess dressing tastes good right away, but it actually improves after 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator, once the flavors have had a chance to meld and the herbs have mellowed slightly.

Adjust the consistency to match how you're using it. For a pourable salad dressing, thin it with a tablespoon of water or extra lemon juice. For a thicker dip for vegetables or pita, cut back on the liquid or add an extra spoonful of tahini.

Shake before every use. Because there's no gum or stabilizer holding it together, the dressing can separate slightly as it sits. A quick shake in a lidded jar or a stir with a spoon brings it right back together.

Variations

• Extra creamy version. Blend in two tablespoons of vegan mayonnaise or unsweetened cashew cream along with the other ingredients for a richer, more indulgent dressing.
• Garlicky green goddess. Add one small clove of garlic to the food processor for a sharper, more savory dressing — great alongside something simple like steamed potatoes or plain rice.
• Spicy green goddess. Blend in a small jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat) or a dash of your favorite hot sauce for a dressing with a little kick.
• Avocado green goddess. Add half a ripe avocado to the food processor for an even creamier, more filling dressing that works well as a sandwich spread.
• Herb swap. Trade the dill and basil for fresh tarragon, mint, or cilantro depending on what you have on hand or what the rest of your meal calls for.
• Make it a dip. Cut the liquid back — using less lemon juice and skipping any water — for a thicker consistency you can serve alongside cut vegetables or pita chips. Our Vegan Ranch Dressing (or Dip!) is another good one to keep in the fridge for the same purpose.

Serving Ideas

This dressing is best known as a salad topper, and it's especially good on tomato salads, where the acidity and herbs balance the sweetness of ripe tomatoes. It also shines on grain and bean salads — try it over a bowl of quinoa, barley, or white beans, or drizzled over a tabbouleh-style salad with parsley and bulgur. Cucumber, potato, and pasta salads all take well to it too, since the tahini base clings nicely to starchy or crunchy ingredients alike — it's also excellent spooned over a bowl of massaged kale salad.

Beyond salads, this dressing doubles easily as a dip for raw vegetables or pita, a spread for sandwiches and wraps in place of mayonnaise, or a drizzle over roasted vegetables, baked tofu, or a grain bowl. A spoonful stirred into a bowl of lentils or chickpeas turns a simple side into something much more flavorful.

Storing & Freezing

Store the dressing in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because it's made almost entirely of fresh herbs and produce, it will darken slightly in color over time — this is normal and doesn't affect the flavor, though the dressing tastes best within the first few days. Give it a good shake or stir before each use, since some separation is normal.

This dressing doesn't freeze well. The fresh herbs and cucumber lose their texture once thawed, and the dressing tends to separate and turn watery, so it's best to make only as much as you'll use within the week rather than freezing the extra.

More Vegan Dressings and Salads

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:

• Vegan Ranch Dressing (or Dip!)
• Massaged Kale Salad with Orange-Miso Dressing
• Tabbouleh Salad (with Quinoa, Bulgur, or Couscous)
• Vegan Jícama Salad with Oranges and Watercress

Recipe

Vegan Green Goddess Dressing

4.83 from 12 votes

A vibrant, herby vegan dressing made with fresh parsley, dill, and creamy tahini instead of the mayonnaise or sour cream in traditional green goddess dressing. Makes about 1 cup (8 servings of roughly 2 tablespoons each).

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves packed, some stems are fine (about 60g)
• ¼ cup tahini sesame paste (about 60g)
• ½ cup cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 75g)
• ½ to 1 lemon juiced, to taste (about 15-30ml)
• 1 scallion coarsely chopped (about 15g)
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill and/or several fresh basil leaves (about 3g)
• ½ teaspoon salt (about 3g)
• black pepper freshly ground, to taste

Instructions

• Place the parsley, tahini, cucumber, lemon juice, scallion, dill (and/or basil), salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
• Process for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the herbs are very finely minced and the dressing is smooth and creamy.
• Taste and adjust the salt, lemon juice, or pepper as needed. Transfer to a tightly lidded jar or bottle and shake well before each use.

Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)

Calories: 50kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.6gSodium: 140mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3IUCalcium: 2mg

Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

This smoky, slightly sweet enchilada sauce comes together in a single pan and is made with simple pantry staples. Just 15 minutes stand between you and better-than-canned enchilada sauce!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chili powder. The backbone of the sauce's flavor - use a good-quality blend, since a stale one will taste flat no matter what else you add.
• Smoked paprika. Adds a deep, campfire-like smokiness that stands in for the toasted-chile flavor without the extra step. Regular paprika works in a pinch but the sauce will taste milder.
• Chipotle pepper in adobo. The main heat source. One pepper gives moderate heat; use less for a milder sauce or add a second for real spice.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder. The secret ingredient - just a teaspoon rounds out the chile flavor with a subtle richness, similar to what cocoa does in mole. It won't taste chocolatey.
• Vegetable broth. Use a low-sodium version if you're watching salt, since the chili powder and adobo sauce both add sodium too.
• All-purpose flour. Thickens the sauce and gives it body. Swap in masa harina for a more traditional, slightly corn-forward flavor, or use a gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe GF.
• Maple syrup. Balances the acidity and heat with a touch of sweetness. Agave works as a substitute.
• Orange zest. A finishing touch that brightens the whole sauce - don't skip it, even though it seems small.

Helpful Tips

Toast the spices before adding liquid. Cooking the chili powder and other spices in the oil and flour for a full minute wakes up their flavor and gets rid of any raw, dusty taste. This step matters more than it seems like it should.

Add the broth slowly. Whisking in the broth a little at a time, rather than all at once, keeps the flour from clumping and gives you a silky, lump-free sauce.

Taste before you season with salt. Chili powder, adobo sauce, and broth all bring their own sodium, so it's easy to over-salt if you add it too early. Season at the very end instead.

Adjust the heat to your crowd. The minced chipotle is where all the heat lives. Start with half a pepper if you're serving spice-sensitive eaters, or add a second pepper plus extra adobo sauce if you like it fiery.

Blend it if you want it silky. This sauce is smooth as written, but if you want a completely restaurant-style texture, an immersion blender run through it for a few seconds will erase any last bit of texture from the onion.

Variations

• Extra smoky. Double the smoked paprika and add a pinch of chipotle powder for a deeper, more barbecue-like flavor.
• Mild and kid-friendly. Skip the chipotle pepper entirely and use just the adobo sauce for a whisper of smokiness without the heat.
• Mole-inspired. Double the cocoa powder and add a pinch of cinnamon for a sauce that leans into mole territory.
• Green enchilada version. Swap the tomato sauce and chili powder base for blended tomatillos and green chiles, keeping the cumin, garlic, and onion the same.
• Extra citrusy. Add the zest and a squeeze of juice from a whole orange instead of just the zest from half, plus a squeeze of lime at the end.
• Chunkier, rustic style. Dice the onion a little larger and skip blending - the sauce will have more texture, closer to a chili than a smooth enchilada sauce.

Serving Ideas

This sauce is built for classic enchiladas - pour it over rolled tortillas stuffed with black beans, sweet potato, or your favorite vegan filling before baking. It also holds up well as a simmer sauce: pour it over roasted cauliflower or crispy tofu and let everything simmer together for a few minutes before serving over rice.

Beyond enchiladas, this is a great base for a quick weeknight taco sauce, a topping for a Southwestern-style rice bowl, or a smoky finish drizzled over a tofu scramble at brunch.

Storing & Freezing

Let the sauce cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will thicken slightly as it chills - a splash of broth or water when reheating brings it back to pourable consistency.

To freeze, cool the sauce fully and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag, leaving room for expansion, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and whisk well while reheating on the stovetop, since flour-thickened sauces can separate slightly in the freezer - a good whisk brings it right back together.

More Vegan Recipes

If you love this vegan enchilada sauce, be sure to check out these other delicious plant-based recipes:

• Creamy Vegan Enchilada Casserole
• Super-Easy Vegan Tortilla Casserole
• Homemade Vegan Tortillas
• Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Recipe

Vegan Enchilada Sauce

4.71 from 7 votes

A good Enchilada Sauce is essential for almost any Southwestern-inspired meal. And this delicious vegan version is sure to hit the spot!

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion small, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour or use masa harina for gluten-free
• 3 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced, plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup
• zest of ½ an orange optional

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Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
• Stir in the flour, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices and cook off the raw flour taste.
• Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth, a little at a time, to keep the mixture smooth. Whisk in the tomato sauce, minced chipotle, and adobo sauce.
• Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and orange zest. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• Use immediately over enchiladas, or cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Yields approximately 3 cups of sauce. Serving size is ~¼ cup. 

Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)

Calories: 48kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 416mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 866IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.