Butter-lettuce and radish salad with green goddess dressing is crisp, creamy, and impossibly fresh: soft butter lettuce, peppery sliced radishes, scallion, and torn prosciutto under a dressing of avocado, tahini, lemon, and garlic. The dressing blends into a silky emerald goddess that clings to every leaf. It's the kind of salad that disappears before the main course lands.
SERVES 4
Tahini, tangy lemon, creamy avocado and garlic combine to make a silky and delicious salad dressing. This is a thick and creamy dressing that pairs well with butter lettuce and savory prosciutto.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE DRESSING (MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS/472 ML):
1 cup/230 g avocado
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp lemon zest
¼ cup/60 ml, plus 1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp/30 ml organic tahini
3 tbsp/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 head butter lettuce, torn into pieces
8 small red radishes, sliced
1 scallion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp/5 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 oz/60 g prosciutto, torn
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Mix all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Separate salad onto plates. Top each salad with a couple of tablespoons of dressing and serve. Reserve remaining dressing for another use.
Pro Tips
- Blend the dressing until completely smooth — the avocado and tahini emulsify into a thick, silky cream that's the whole point of the dish.
- Tear the butter lettuce by hand rather than cutting; torn edges hold dressing better and the leaves won't bruise.
- The dressing makes about two cups and keeps four days — double down on salads all week rather than halving the batch.
- Tear the prosciutto into rough pieces at the last moment; sitting against dressed leaves, it loses its pleasant chew.
- Slice the radishes paper-thin so their pepperiness spreads through the salad instead of arriving in sharp bursts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does green goddess dressing keep?
About four days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Press plastic wrap onto the surface to keep the avocado bright, and shake before using.
Can I make this salad without prosciutto?
Certainly — the salad is lovely without it. For a vegetarian protein boost, toasted pumpkin seeds add a similar savory crunch.
What is tahini doing in a green goddess dressing?
It gives the classic creamy body without dairy or egg, and its subtle sesame bitterness balances the rich avocado and lemon.
Can I use a different lettuce?
Butter lettuce's soft, sweet leaves are the ideal foil for radish and prosciutto, but Little Gem or romaine hearts will give you more crunch.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Mix all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Separate salad onto plates.
- Top each salad with a couple of tablespoons of dressing and serve.
- Reserve remaining dressing for another use.
