This easy vegan lemon dill sauce is super simple yet sophisticated, with bright, refreshing flavors and a silky-smooth, creamy texture that's hard to beat. Sauce, dip, or salad dressing, it's the perfect summer condiment.
Sauces are often one of those things that gets left behind, which is a shame because they have enormous potential to elevate a meal! And this creamy lemon dill sauce is one of my top picks. Partly because it goes with just about everything (especially in the warmer months). It's creamy (without the cream… it's actually totally vegan), super flavorful with pops of lemon and fragrant, herbaceous dill. It's also incredibly easy to make. You have to wait for the cashews to soak for 45 minutes or so, but otherwise you'll only need to be in the kitchen for like 5 minutes! Woohoo!
The Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce You’ll Put On Everything
Before you dive into the recipe, I just need to gush about how absolutely fabulous this sauce is for a minute:
- I am obsessed with how bright and refreshing this sauce is. Between the zing of the lemon and the subtly sweet, anise-adjacent flavor of the dill, it's summer in a sauce.
- This no-cook recipe is kind of as easy as it gets. All you have to do is soak some cashews and throw everything in a blender. It's particularly wonderful when it's hot out, and you don't want to turn on the stove.
- This sauce can be used on grilled meat, as a dipping sauce, as a salad dressing, and much more. It's extremely versatile, so make a big batch and use it throughout the week. See the section below titled “What to Eat With Dill Sauce” for inspo.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You'll only need a few ingredients to make this simple (but unforgettable) sauce. Here they are (for precise measurements, see the recipe card below):
- Cashews – I like to soak mine in piping-hot water for 45 minutes to soften them. This makes for a creamier sauce.
- Water – Cold water for the sauce and some hot water to soak the cashews. I would use filtered water. Tap water can have a funny taste that will transfer to the sauce.
- Lemon – You'll need freshly squeezed lemon juice AND freshly grated lemon zest.
- Fresh dill – Chopped. I LOVE dill. It's super refreshing, and it's got this delicate sweetness to it that really kicks this condiment up a notch.
- Seasonings – Just salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Lemon Dill Sauce
Here's a quick look at how to make this mouthwatering lemon dill sauce. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Soak the cashews. Submerge the cashews in hot water and let sit for 30-60 minutes before draining.
- Load the blender. Add the soaked and drained cashews to a blender along with the water, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, and a little salt and pepper (you can always add more).
- Blend. Blend the sauce on high until smooth.
- Adjust. Taste the sauce and blend in extra salt and pepper as you see fit.
What to Eat With Dill Sauce
I mean it when I say you're going to want to put this on everything. Drizzle it over salmon, toss it with some greens for an unforgettable salad, or use it as a dip. The sky's the limit. Here are some fun ideas to get you started:
- Perfect for fish. I think my favorite way to use this sauce is on fish. Salmon, in particular. Drizzle it over Salmon Patties or my Pistachio-Crusted Salmon. It also works really well with these Air Fryer Salmon Bites.
- Try it with chicken. If salmon isn't your thing, lemon dill sauce goes equally well with chicken. Use it to dol up this Instant Pot Whole Chicken or my Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs. I'll even use it as a dip for these kid-friendly Homemade Chicken Nuggets.
- Between two slices. Whether it's a White Bean Mushroom Veggie Burger, a Vegan Bagel Sandwich, or a classic Egg Salad Sandwich, this herbaceous sauce is a great way to elevate your sammy.
- Taco time. Drizzling this sauce over some Crispy Fish Tacos or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos is kind of the way to go!
- Salad dressing re-imagined. Lemon dill sauce doubles as a salad dressing, so toss it with some simple mixed greens or use it to elevate one of my Favorite Summer Salad Recipes.
- Use it as a dip. I love serving this sauce as a dip for fresh veggies or my steamy Instant Pot Artichokes. Got French fries? Ditch the ketchup and try this creamy lemon dill sauce instead!
These are my top picks, but I'm excited to hear how you use it! Leave a comment below and let me know!
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator: Seal any leftover sauce in an airtight container (I prefer a mason jar), and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: You can freeze this sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge and run it through the blender again to restore the smooth, creamy texture.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
Looking for more saucy ways to elevate your meals? Have a look at these recipes:
Vegan Lemon Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews soaked
- 1 cup water
- Juice of 1 large lemon (2 tbsp)
- Zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/3 cup fresh dill
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cover the cashews with 1″ of hot water. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1+ hours.
- Drain the cashews and add them to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Pour into a sealed container and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Easy to make and tastes delicious. Can this be frozen?
Made it with dried dill as fresh is not available where I live. I’ll be making it again, it was so delicious
This is the quickest healthy sauce I ever made in no time, thanks to ur recipee. Just added more lemon to suit our taste and the fish we had. Also used on boiled new potatoes yumm.
Very tasty but I only used 3/4 cup of water and it was still too much.
Just had this with pan seared halibut. It was delicious! Tasted creamy, but not greasy like you might get with real cream.
This was really good! Fresh dill makes such a big difference. I will add this to my recipe collection to make again in the future.
Gorgeous sauce and properly dillified…but why serve salmon with a vegan sauce?
You can use it on so many things! I just love it on salmon because of the taste 🙂
For people who follow the biblical dietary laws, we need something dairy free. For me, typing in vegan gets me what I need so I can cook it with anything. 🙂
I know fresh is best but if I’m in a pinch & only have dried dill – how much should I use???? Thanks
I would use 1 tablespoon to start and adjust from there!
Hi! This looks great. My one question is if you have any alternate ideas for the cashews. I know that’s a big annoying since the recipe is based on cashews, but they can be a little hard on my stomach, so just wondering if there’s anything you might use instead. Thank you!
I really haven’t tested anything different, but you might be able to try tofu!