Citric Acid Free Dill & Pumpkin Seed Sauce
This vibrant green sauce is herbaceous, nutty, and bright — the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Toasting the pumpkin seeds first is a small step that pays off big, adding a warm, roasty depth that balances the freshness of the dill and parsley. The lemon juice here comes straight from a real lemon, which matters when you're avoiding the synthetic citric acid that sneaks into so many store-bought sauces and dressings as a preservative or flavor enhancer. Everything goes into a blender and comes together in under a minute, making it one of the easiest homemade sauces you'll ever pull off. The result is creamy without any dairy, pourable without being watery, and deeply flavorful without a single processed ingredient. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, spoon it onto grilled fish, or use it to bring a grain bowl to life — it genuinely works on almost anything. Keep a jar in the fridge and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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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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