BHA & BHT Free Dill & Pumpkin Seed Sauce
This vibrant green sauce is herbaceous, nutty, and bright — the kind of condiment that instantly elevates whatever it touches. Toasting the raw pumpkin seeds first is a small step that pays off big, adding a warm, slightly roasted depth that balances the fresh dill and lemon beautifully. Every ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means no synthetic preservatives hiding in the mix — just real food blended together in minutes. Avoiding BHA and BHT can be tricky with store-bought sauces and condiments, since those additives often sneak into packaged oils, seeds, and flavoring blends, but making your own from scratch sidesteps all of that entirely. The base is extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and a single clove of garlic — clean, simple, and completely in your control. It blends up silky smooth in under a minute and works beautifully drizzled over grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or spooned into a grain bowl. Make a batch on Sunday and it keeps in the fridge for up to three days, ready to make any meal feel a little more special.
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Learn more →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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