Featured Recipe
Avocado Yogurt Green Goddess Dressing
By Kate
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A creamy green goddess-style vinaigrette blending avocado and Greek yogurt with fresh herbs and citrus. Tangy, herbaceous, thick but pourable. Uses lime and swaps mint for cilantro, kale for arugula to shift flavor. Perfect as a dip, salad dressing, or sauce. Holds up 4 days refrigerated. Texture smooth, not runny, with vibrant green color. Bright aroma of lime with herbal snap. Balances richness of avocado with yogurt tartness and herbal freshness. Easy to tweak ingredients; water added gradually to adjust thickness. Salt and pepper tuned to taste before serving.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
20 min
Serves:
430 ml
dressings
dip
sauce
vegan
vegetarian
green goddess
Introduction
Cut corners with store-bought? Skip it. Blend fresh herbs, creamy avocado, and yogurt yourself. No mayo needed. The juice of lime, sharp and bright, wakes up the greenery. Kale over arugula here; sturdier leaves, more vegetal depth, better punch through creaminess. Cilantro swaps mint for a warm earthy undertone, less bright but more robust. Parsley adds freshness where dill can give a prickly edge. Texture matters—too thick? Water trickle in, each spoonful counted. Too thin? Hold back. No lumps or weird chunks tolerated. Keep an eye on color, subtle darkening happens in fridge but green should stay alive. Salting is key—draws out flavor, cuts avocado heaviness. Count on this as a dip, drizzled over greens, or dolloped on grilled meats. No fuss but watch your blender’s rhythm. Too long and warm? Flavor dulls. Stop early, scrape down, finish with short pulses. This isn’t a dump-and-go situation. You earn the difference.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Ingredients are straightforward—Greek yogurt for tang and body, ripe avocado for creaminess and fat, fresh lime for acid balance. Kale chosen for texture and flavor instead of peppery arugula; tough but vibrant green, helps hold dressing together without losing vibrance. Cilantro replaces mint—warmer, slightly pungent flavor. Parsley adds subtle freshness, and scallion offers onion sharpness without harshness. Cold water added to loosen dressing prevents separation, especially since no oil included here. Use ripe avocado—soft, creamy but not mushy; brown spots okay but avoid bitterness. Greek yogurt 2% preferred; low-fat yogurt waters down, full-fat risks overly heavy mouthfeel. Salt and pepper balance acidity and fat; season gradually. Ready-made herbs from market work but fresh picked herbs make a difference, rinsed and dried to avoid watering down dressing.
Method
Technique Tips
Start by washing and preparing herbs and kale thoroughly. Dry them—water ruins emulsification and yields watery dressing. Cut avocado, scoop ripe flesh, don’t mix skin or pit bits. Put avocado and yogurt in blender first to create base; this prevents fiber from herbs breaking up too coarsely. Add acidic lime juice earlier in blending to prevent avocado from browning quickly. Blend greens and herbs last, pulse to preserve some texture. Stop blending as soon as homogenous smoothness reached. Scrape down blade and sides often—dressing tends to stick causing uneven texture otherwise. Add water little by little, blending between additions. Consistency should be creamy yet pourable. Season last, taste often; seasoning changes after resting too. Store in airtight container immediately, refrigerate. Expect slight darkening due to avocado oxidation but no sliminess; discard if foul odor or slime develops. Use within 4 days, never longer. Avoid metal containers for storage; glass or plastic preferred to minimize color changes.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use ripe avocado; soft but not mushy. Brown spots okay, avoid any bitterness. Replace kale with spinach or arugula but adjust for flavor.
- 💡 Adjust consistency by adding cold water. Go slow—thicker is sturdier. Blend, scrape sides often. No lumps wanted. Check for vibrant green.
- 💡 Use fresh herbs for impact—cilantro and parsley preferred. Dried herbs don’t cut it here. Wash greens to avoid a watery dressing.
- 💡 Storage matters. Airtight containers help. Expect slight darkening in fridge. Green should stay vibrant. Discard if foul smell or weird texture.
- 💡 Seasoning is key. Salt enhances flavor. Tweak balance. Lime acidity crucial—check often. No bland allowed; add a pinch before serving.
