This lemon herb olive oil sauce is your go-to drizzle for instantly brightening roasted veggies, grilled meats, or even crusty bread. It's packed with fresh herbs, citrus, and garlic, adding bold, zesty flavor without overpowering your dish.
If you love bright, herb-forward sauces like this, you’ll probably be into my zesty tahini sauce too—creamy, garlicky, and full of fresh herbs.
What I love about this sauce (aside from the fact that it takes five minutes and zero fuss) is that it tastes indulgent—but it’s loaded with good ingredients. Fresh herbs, citrus, olive oil… all the zest, none of the guilt.
Lemon Herb Olive Oil Sauce Ingredients
This sauce comes together with a few fresh ingredients—each one playing a role in that bright, herbaceous flavor:
Parsley + Cilantro: This duo keeps the sauce fresh and clean, with parsley adding mild bitterness and cilantro bringing a hint of citrusy depth.
Lemon Zest + Juice: Using both adds layers—the zest brings fragrance, while the juice brings the sharp acidity.
Fresh Garlic: Raw and punchy, it gives the sauce a savory backbone.
Pure Maple Syrup or honey: Just a touch to soften the edges of the lemon and garlic. You won’t taste “sweet,” but you’ll notice the balance.
Olive Oil: Go for a good-quality extra virgin olive oil—it’s the body of the sauce and ties everything together.
Recipe Details
Start by adding the lemon zest, juice, garlic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Give it a good whisk to help everything come together.
Next, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Once it looks smooth and glossy, fold in the chopped herbs—and that’s it.
I recently used it to marinate grilled chicken—and it turned out incredibly juicy and full of bright, herby flavor. I’ll be sharing that recipe soon, so keep an eye out!
This lemony herb blend is one of a few sauces I rotate through all summer. If you’re into spicy, fresh heat, try my green zhoug. Or cool things down with cacik, a Turkish cucumber yogurt sauce that’s ultra-refreshing.
Want more sauce inspo? Don’t miss this smoky muhammara—roasted red peppers, pomegranate, and a hint of mint make it totally addictive.
PrintLemony Herb Olive Oil Sauce
A fresh, zesty herb sauce made with lemon juice, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil—balanced with a hint of maple syrup. Perfect as a marinade, drizzle, or dip for grilled meats, vegetables, and more. Ready in minutes, no blender needed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: around 1 cup 1x
- Category: sauces
- Method: mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
- 4 small garlic cloves (or 2 large), grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the salt dissolves.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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