Barley Free Dill & Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Total time15 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.5

(14)

This vibrant green sauce is the kind of thing that makes a simple weeknight dinner feel genuinely special. Toasted pumpkin seeds form the creamy, nutty base, while a generous handful of fresh dill and parsley give it that bright, herbaceous punch you want drizzled over just about everything. A squeeze of lemon and a whisper of garlic round it all out into something that tastes far more complex than the handful of steps it takes to make. For anyone navigating grain sensitivities, this sauce is naturally free of barley and any grain-based thickeners — it gets its body entirely from blended seeds and olive oil, so there's nothing hidden to worry about. It comes together in a blender in under ten minutes and works beautifully over grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, fish, or spooned into a grain bowl. Make a batch at the start of the week and you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly — it keeps in the fridge for up to three days and somehow tastes even better the next day.

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Ingredients

6 servings

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup fresh dill, loosely packed
2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1 small clove garlic, peeled
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3–4 tbsp water, plus more as needed
¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
⅛ tsp black pepper, or to taste
¼ tsp ground cumin (optional)

Instructions

1
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, until they begin to pop and turn lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 2 minutes.
2
Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh dill, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, 3 tbsp water, salt, pepper, and cumin (if using) to a blender or food processor.

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