Are you looking for a fresh and flavorful chopped salad that’s easy to make and good for you? Look no further than this delicious Green Goddess Salad. It’s a crowd-pleaser packed with fresh greens, sweet apples, and a creamy and herby dressing. This salad makes a super-satisfying weeknight meal or an excellent side salad for your next gathering.
Page Contents
- The BEST Green Goddess Salad
- Why You’ll Love This Green Goddess Salad Recipe
- Green Goddess Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe Notes
- How to Make a Green Goddess Salad: Step-By-Step Instructions
- Recipe Substitutions
- Nutrition Tips: The Potential Health Benefits of Kale
- More Green Goddess Recipes
- More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Printable Recipe Card
- Pin Recipe for Later!
The BEST Green Goddess Salad
Green goddess salads have been around for years. The original recipe from 1920s San Francisco is simply a salad tossed with a creamy green goddess dressing. Nowadays, there are hundreds of variations, and today, I’m bringing you my take, and between you and me, it really doesn’t disappoint!!
If you love this Green Goddess Salad, try this Green Goddess Pasta recipe next!
Why You’ll Love This Green Goddess Salad Recipe
It’s:
- Hearty and satisfying
- Loaded with vitamins and minerals
- Jam-packed with delicious veggies
- Incredibly delicious!
Green Goddess Salad Recipe Ingredients
This recipe contains tons of good-for-you ingredients that your body will love you for! Here’s what you’ll need:
Recipe Notes
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing: You can find my Healthy Green Goddess Dressing recipe here or use your favorite recipe or brand. It’s a deliciously creamy tangy dressing recipe that contains loads of fresh herbs, ripe avocado, greek yogurt, quark (a low-fat soft cheese), a garlic clove, fresh lemon juice, and green olives.
- The Greens: First up, broccoli “rice” that’s sauteéd with scallions (spring onions) for flavor and red chili flakes for an extra kick. I find that sautéing broccoli removes some bitterness and allows it to absorb more of the creamy dressing. Next up, some finely chopped kale. No need to massage it; a fine chop will get this antioxidant-rich cruciferous vegetable tender enough. And finally, some julienned zucchini (courgette) for its slightly sweet and pleasant crunch.
- The Beans: I’m adding edamame beans, a soybean with a buttery, sweet, and nutty vibe. Yum! I always have some in my freezer that can be easily thawed to inject some essential omega-3s and protein into any meal.
- Quinoa: A gluten-free pseudo-grain that laps up the gorgeous green goddess dressing. One of my favorite protein and fiber boosters that makes this salad extra hearty and satisfying.
- Apple: For a satisfying fresh crunch and a natural sweetness.
- Almonds: For their nutty, creamy texture and a dose of immune-boosting vitamin E.
- Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds): An excellent source of magnesium to support energy production.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For richness. And also for a dose of healthy fats to help the body absorb the nutrients in the dish.
RECIPE TIP ~ Seasoning: I don’t add salt and pepper to this salad as sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper are in the homemade Green Goddess Dressing. If you use your own dressing recipe, you may need to adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
How to Make a Green Goddess Salad: Step-By-Step Instructions
Once you’ve prepared your ingredients, this green goddess salad comes together easily. Here’s what you need to do:
- Toast Nuts and Seeds
Toast the almonds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in a dry frying pan ~ for about 4 minutes. Pour out onto a plate and set aside.
- Sauté Broccoli Rice
Pour extra virgin olive oil into the frying pan. Add the broccoli, scallions (spring onions), and chili flakes. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add Quinoa
Add the cooked quinoa and warm through for about 2 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add Remaining Ingredients
Add the kale, courgette, edamame, apple, almonds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and green goddess dressing to the big bowl with the quinoa and broccoli.
- Toss Salad
Gently toss the salad ingredients to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and drizzle with leftover dressing.
Find the recipe card with exact ingredients and full recipe instructions at the bottom of this page. ⇩
Jump to RecipeRecipe Substitutions
Don’t let ingredients you don’t like or can’t get hold of at your local grocery store stop you from making this delicious recipe. There are so many options to make the recipe work for you. Here are just some of my favorite substitutions for each ingredient:
- Kale: Green Cabbage, Cavolo Nero, Spinach
- Broccoli: Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts
- Scallions (Spring Onions): Green Onions, Red Onion, Shallots
- Almonds: Pine Nuts, Hazelnuts, Walnuts
- Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds): Sunflower Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Flax Seeds
- Red Chili Flakes: Red Pepper Flakes, Chili Powder, Paprika
- Zucchini (Courgette): Cucumbers, Persian Cucumbers (Small Cucumbers)
- Edamame Beans: Chickpeas, Black Beans
- Apple: Pear, Pomegranate Seeds
- Cooked Quinoa: Cooked Brown Rice, Couscous, Barley
NUTRITION TIP: For extra protein, top your salad with hard-boiled eggs or sliced chicken breasts.
Nutrition Tips: The Potential Health Benefits of Kale
Green veggies are an important part of a healthy balanced diet. They are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber yet low in calories. Let’s look at kale and take a deeper dive:
1. Kale May Protect Against Chronic Disease
As it contains an array of powerful antioxidants, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, flavonoids, and polyphenols, kale has the potential to protect against damage to the body’s cells by neutralizing the toxic free radicals that can cause oxidative stress. Studies have shown that oxidative damage can lead to chronic inflammation and conditions like diabetes and heart disease [Source].
2. Kale May Support Bone Health
Kale is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, as well as the minerals calcium, magnesium, and boron. All these nutrients are vital for good bone health [Source].
3. Kale May Aid in Weight Loss
Kale is a low-calorie cruciferous vegetable with a high nutrient density, making it an ideal ingredient to add to the diet to promote weight loss. It also contains a significant quantity of bulk in the form of fiber, which may help with satiety [Source].
More Green Goddess Recipes
Green Goddess Dressing
This green goddess dressing is bursting with fresh herbs that bring incredible flavor to salads and nourish bowls. It’s also a fantastic dip and pasta sauce.
Green Goddess Pasta
Green goddess sauce + green lentil fusilli + crispy shallots = one heck of a TASTY pasta dish. It’s creamy, herby, and seriously indulgent.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
If you loved this salad, here are some more salad ideas for you to try next:
- Spinach Couscous Salad with Feta
- Tomato Salad with Basil Oil
- Fresh Vegetable Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Herby Potato Salad with Homemade Salad Cream
- Pan-Fried Salmon Rainbow Salad with Roasted Garlic Tahini
- Creamy Purple Cabbage Slaw
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Printable Recipe Card
📖 Recipe
Green Goddess Salad
If you love this recipe, rate it with 5 stars below!
PRINT PIN RATEEquipment
- Food Processor, optional
- Salad Servers
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (36 g) almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head broccoli , trimmed and grated or blitzed in a food processor
- 4 scallions (spring onions), finely sliced
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 1⅓ cup (250 g) cooked quinoa
- 1¾ cups kale, thick stalks removed, finely chopped
- 1 zucchini (courgette), julienned or chopped into thin matchsticks
- ½ cup (80 g) edamame beans, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 green apple, small dice (I used Granny Smith)
- ½ portion green goddess dressing, you can sub your own recipe or favorite brand
Instructions
- Prepare: Gather and prepare your ingredients.
- Toss Salad: In the large bowl, along with the quinoa and broccoli, add the kale, zucchini (courgette), edamame, apple, almonds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and most of the green goddess dressing. Save a little for drizzling. Gently toss the salad ingredients to combine. Then, spoon into individual bowls and drizzle with leftover green goddess dressing.
Notes
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional information is estimated using an online nutrition calculator. For accuracy, we recommend you calculate using the exact ingredients and brands you used.
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