Cinnamon Free Sunflower Seed Lemon Sauce
Bright, tangy, and surprisingly creamy, this sunflower seed sauce is the kind of versatile condiment that earns a permanent spot in your fridge rotation. A quick soak softens the seeds so they blend into a silky, pourable texture that rivals any nut-based sauce — no dairy, no thickeners, just whole ingredients doing the heavy lifting. Fresh lemon juice and zest give it a lively citrus punch, while a single clove of garlic and a touch of cumin add just enough depth to keep things interesting. The optional cayenne lets you dial up the heat to your liking, making it easy to customize for different palates at the table. Many store-bought sauces and spice blends sneak in cinnamon as a background note, so making this from scratch means you know exactly what's in every spoonful. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, use it as a dipping sauce, or thin it out a little more to dress a grain bowl — it genuinely works everywhere. Four days in the fridge means you can make a batch on Sunday and reach for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup water, plus more to thin
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the sunflower seeds in the blender or food processor and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Let soak for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
- 2
Add the drained sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup fresh water, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, salt, cumin, and cayenne (if using) to the blender. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides once halfway through.
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