This lemon herb olive oil sauce is your go-to drizzle for instantly brightening roasted veggies, grilled meats, or even crusty bread. Its fresh, zesty flavor is perfect without overpowering the dish.
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 is that it tastes indulgent-but it's loaded with good ingredients: Fresh herbs, citrus, and olive oil.
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.
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.
I am so excited for you to try this lemony herb olive oil sauce. Let us know how it turned out for you in the comments!
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Lemony Herb Olive Oil Sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: around 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
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.
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.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: sauces
- Method: mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Rosita says
I did just as you suggested. I used the sauce to marinate chicken and it was SO good. My family loved it. I will definitely be making it again.
Ashley says
Yay, Rosita! That's awesome. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.