The $4 Trader Joe’s Dressing That Makes Every Salad Taste Better

When I was compiling a list of the top 50 Trader Joe’s groceries to buy according to the highly passionate members of the Busy People at Trader Joe’s Facebook group, one suggestion that kept popping up over and over again was the Green Goddess Dip. I’ve tried the stuff before as part of a crudités platter, and wholeheartedly agree that it’s one of the store’s best items. During this research, I also learned about the benevolent existence of that dip’s less viscous cousin: Green Goddess Salad Dressing. And that, my friends, is why we are gathered here today.

Please indulge me and let me tell you about this actual goddess of a salad dressing.

I found this 11-ounce bottle in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle — right next to the salad kits and pre-prepped fruits and vegetables — and took it home with me for $3.99. I also bought the Mediterranean Salad Kit while I was there and ditched the dressing pouch it came with in favor of this. (Don’t worry, I tucked it away and will use that vinaigrette another day!)

Unlike most of the other bottled salad dressings at Trader Joe’s, the Green Goddess Salad Dressing is refrigerated — not shelf-stable. It’s made with ultra-fresh ingredients such as avocado, green onion, chives, basil, parsley, garlic, onion, and cold-pressed lemon juice, whirred together with apple cider vinegar and olive oil. The key word there, is “whirred,” because let me tell you, straight out out the bottle this dressing tastes as fresh as one you could have whipped up seconds ago in a blender. I’ve been eating it up these last few days and have noticed that it doesn’t coat my salad, but rather seemed to just gently rest on top, adding a much-appreciated brightness. It’s almost like it makes the lettuce float on air. It’s light! It’s bright! It’s refreshing! It’s what every salad needs these days.

Because it’s perishable, you have to have to use it up fairly quickly, but trust me, you will.

What’s your favorite salad dressing at Trader Joe’s?