These Green Goddess deviled eggs are the taste of spring! They're bursting with fresh herbs, avocado, and lemon juice, and perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, or any spring (or summer!) gathering.

Photography Credit: Irvin Lin

The first time I had a salad with Green Goddess dressing, I was hooked. It was at a small restaurant in my hometown, St. Louis, half a country away from California, where the dressing was invented.

Back when I tasted it in the early 1990s, St. Louis was not known for its farm-to-table, seasonal, and local food ethics. But this restaurant catered to a somewhat hippie clientele and the name “green goddess” seemed appropriate.

The dressing was bursting with herbs and salty flavor—which I later found out was anchovies—and I fell in love with it!

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What Is Green Goddess Dressing?

Of course, the name Green Goddess is evocative of a statuesque woman, a sort of princess of mother Earth, so it makes sense that it would be packed full of fresh grown herbs. Parsley, tarragon, and chives all blended together make the dressing ideal for a spring salad.

But this mix of herbs also add a brightness to classic deviled eggs as well! Do not substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs in this recipe—the flavor will be dull. Fresh herbs are key to creating these deviled eggs.

There’s Anchovy in Green Goddess Dressing?

Anchovy is a classic addition to Green Goddess dressing, and I’ve added it to this recipe as well. The anchovy adds a salty umami dimension, but the small amount doesn’t make the filling taste fishy at all.

I use anchovy paste, which comes in a tube. It lets me use a little bit at a time, without having to open up a whole can of anchovies for just as single small portion.

However, if you are really anti-anchovy or wish to make this recipe vegetarian-friendly, feel free to omit it and substitute two or three Kalamata olives, or just add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. If you are using salt, the deviled eggs won’t quite have the same depth of flavor, but will still be great.

How to Make the Best Hard-Boiled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a crowd favorite for pretty much any buffet or party. But all deviled eggs start out as hard-boiled eggs. I have found the easiest and best way to make hard-boiled eggs is with a pressure cooker. The shells practically slide off the egg in a magical way!

But if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can steam your eggs, which leads to a great hard-boiled egg as well. Steaming also leads to an easier-to-peel egg than the traditional boiling method. Either way, your deviled eggs will look picture perfect with great hard-boiled eggs.

Make-Ahead Deviled Eggs

In addition to the herbs, these Green Goddess Deviled Eggs use avocado to give them a creamy green color with a rich buttery (but not heavy) texture. You don’t taste the avocado as much as feel it, when you take a bite of the egg and its creamy filling.

Although avocado has a habit of browning fast, there is enough lemon juice and acidity in the filling to allow you to make these eggs up to 24 hours in advance. Just make the filling and keep it in a sealed plastic bag to prevent air exposure. Pipe the eggs right before you serve them!

If you’d like to pipe the eggs ahead of time, place them in a plastic container with a lid, and serve within eight hours.

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