Xanthan Gum Free Cucumber Mint Sauce
Cool, bright, and herbaceous, this blended sauce is the kind of thing you'll want to drizzle over everything from grilled chicken to roasted vegetables. The combination of fresh mint, parsley, lemon juice, and lemon zest gives it a lively, layered flavor that feels far more sophisticated than the short ingredient list suggests. A quick salting and draining step pulls excess moisture from the cucumber first, which is what keeps the final sauce from turning watery and thin — a small move that makes a big difference in texture. Many store-bought sauces and dressings rely on thickeners and stabilizers to hold their consistency, but here the olive oil and naturally starchy cucumber do all the work on their own. The result is a chunky, cohesive sauce with no additives needed and nothing hidden in the ingredient list to worry about. It comes together in minutes and keeps in the fridge for up to two days, making it an easy make-ahead option for weeknight meals or weekend entertaining.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 medium english cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, packed
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the chopped cucumber in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of the sea salt and let it drain for 15 minutes, until the cucumber has released most of its excess water.
- 2
Transfer the drained cucumber to a blender or food processor. Add the mint leaves, parsley (if using), garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
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