Now that spring is finally here, this Little Gem Salad with Tarragon Green Goddess dressing is sure to be your new sidekick no matter your main dish!
While this salad appears overly elegant — thanks to how gorgeous it is!— it is extremely simple to prepare. The delicious flavor of the “fine herb” tarragon really elevates the dish, making this side salad the perfect tag-along to any spring gathering, Easter Sunday included!
And for more Easter Sunday ideas, or simply some springtime meal inspiration, be sure to check out my Easter Eats Recipe Round-Up!
Little Gem Salad with Tarragon Green Goddess

Serves: 4
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Ingredients
For the Tarragon Green Goddess Dressing:
- ¼ cup loosely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- ¼ cup loosely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
- ¼ cup loosely chopped green onion green parts only
- ½ cup homemade mayo
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- kosher salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Little Gem Salad:
- ½ cup radishes sliced very thin
- 4 heads little gem lettuce halved lengthwise
- 1 avocado sliced
Instructions
For the Tarragon Green Goddess Dressing:
- In a food processor or blender, combine all the Tarragon Green Goddess Dressing ingredients. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
For the Little Gem Salad:
- Soak the thinly sliced radish in a bowl of ice water while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Place the little gem lettuce on a platter.
- Drain the radishes. Scatter the radishes and avocado across the top of the lettuce. Drizzle the salad with the desired amount of green goddess dressing.
12 Comments
jenna p.
April 9, 2023 at 3:09 pmMade this recipe for Easter today! Dressing is delicious – I didn’t have anchovy paste so I subbed a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and it worked out great.
Jen
June 21, 2021 at 11:52 pmDelicious! Loved the dressing. Yes, a wee salty. Just don’t salt the salad. Balances perfectly when tossed.
Ian
April 5, 2021 at 12:26 amWould you adjust tarragon amount if you’re using the dry spice? Having a hard time finding fresh.
Alex
April 5, 2021 at 1:07 pmI honestly don’t think that this particular would be great with dried herbs unfortunately!
Megan
April 3, 2021 at 3:30 pmMy store was out of anchovy paste. So I just bought whole anchovies instead. How many would you use to replace 3 t of paste?
Alex
April 5, 2021 at 1:09 pmabout 4 anchovies.
Sarah
April 1, 2021 at 2:27 amHelp!! I love the idea of this dressing and all the flavors. But I followed the recipe exactly and it was just way too salty. Maybe I used a different brand anchovy paste?! Bought everything at Central Market!
Alex
April 1, 2021 at 12:37 pmah, sorry to hear that!! It could be the type of anchovy paste- I just adjusted the recipe to add salt to taste, since i am sure this varies on the anchovy paste and per palate.
Emily
April 3, 2021 at 6:04 pmSame problem-I added a little bit of sugar and cream and that helped a lot! Great flavor
Kaitlyn Horn
March 29, 2021 at 3:49 pmWhere do you find gem lettuce?
Alex
March 29, 2021 at 10:03 pmI get mine at Central Market– you can also you can substitute pieces of hearts of romaine.
Samantha
March 26, 2021 at 6:28 pmThis dressing is amazing! I can’t stop talking about it with everyone see. Will definitely be making this weekly.