Are you eating that Green Goddess Salad you’ve seen on TikTok? It’s actually Nutritionist-Approved!

The green goddess salad on TikTok has 1.6 million likes and nearly 300,000 shares, and it even made a morning TVappearance on NBC’s Today. There’s something about this salad, which happens to be vegan, that makes it impossible to scroll past when it hits your feed.

While a vegan salad recipe sounds about as groundbreaking as flowers in springtime, the green goddess salad recipe does have something unexpected: It was created by pastry chef, Melissa of Baked by Melissa — yes, the mini cupcake brand! Plus, you get an ASMR-like session when you watch and listen to each crisp veggie chop, the whir of the blender, and finally, the final crunchy bite that makes you want to try it yourself. Add that to the fact that Melissa proceeds to eat the salad with a chip, and you’re left wondering what is this magical green stuff — a salad? A dip?

“I made this Green Goddess Salad last summer for my girlfriends, and it knocked us all off our feet,” writes Melissa on the Baked By Melissa blog. “It is a vegan pesto dressing with all the green veggies you have on hand. Feel free to improvise anywhere you see fit! Nuts, greens, and oil in the dressing can be subbed out for other varieties you have on hand, and you can do that for the veggies in the salad as well. Go wild!”

So, what is in the green goddess salad dressing?

The base of this particular salad contains cabbage, cucumbers, green onions, and chives, but the real flavor punch comes from the vegan take on green goddess salad dressing made from nutritional yeast, herbs, nuts, and olive oil. Traditional green goddess dressing relies heavily on sour cream and heavy cream to make it taste flavorful and rich, but the TikTok version uses nuts and olive oil to lend a creamy texture to the dressing sans dairy.

Is the green goddess salad really that healthy?

It’s easy to see that the green goddess salad is loaded with veggies, herbs, and other plant-based friendly ingredients including nuts — but just how healthy is it? And can you eat it as a meal or is it more of a snack? “I love that it’s loaded with fiber-rich veggies and that the dressing contains olive oil and nuts — both of which boast heart-healthy fats,” says nutritionist Amy Gorin, RD. “Also, the addition of nutritional yeast is a bonus because it provides protein, as well as B vitamins.”

“Nutritional yeast is one of my favorite ingredients,” she says. “It has a cheese-like flavor and is packed with 2 to 3 grams of protein, plus minerals like iron. Sometimes, nutritional yeast is fortified with B vitamins, such as vitamin B12. It’s a great way for plant-based eaters to add additional protein to meals and snacks.”

What can you eat with green goddess salad?

In the green goddess salad TikTok video, you see Melissa eat the salad with a chip, which may make you wonder if the recipe is more salad or more dip? You can make the green goddess salad as a snack, especially since the recipe makes several servings, you can make a batch to keep on hand (and yes, eat it with chips!) or add a few tweaks to make it more of a complete meal.

“If you’re looking to make it a meal, I’d pair it with a lean protein such as baked tofu to amp up both the calories and protein of the meal,” says Gorin. If you’re not vegan or plant-based, you could also add an animal-based protein such as chicken or turkey. If you want to keep it in the fridge as a snack, try pairing it with a whole-grain chip such as corn tortilla chips for added fiber to help keep you fuller longer, says Gorin.

How long does the green goddess salad last once you’ve made it?

This particular green goddess TikTok salad recipe should last for about a week in the fridge, according to the recipe. So keep that in mind when determining how many servings and people you want it to feed.

One thing is for sure — the green goddess TikTok salad recipe has range. In addition to eating it alone or with chips or a pita, Melissa also writes on the blog that it’s yummy on sandwiches or tacos — the green goddess possibilities are endless.

—
Photo Credit: Elena Veselova / Shutterstock.com