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creamy dill sauce in a clear small glass bowl with fresh dill and lemon zest on top.
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5 from 2 votes

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce Recipe

Creamy dill sauce compliments a variety of dishes, from grilled salmon to oven-roasted vegetables, and rice. You'll want to put this creamy and aromatic sauce on everything!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Sides + Sauces
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: cream sauce, creamy dill salmon sauce, lemon cream sauce
Servings: 1 cup (250 ml or 8 oz)
Calories: 437kcal
Author: Ria Mavrikos

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup diced white or yellow onion about 1 small onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2-3 peeled garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons of capers
  • 1 tablespoon of the caper brine juice from the capers
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons diced fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup unsalted or salted butter softened
  • 1/3 cup full fat mayonnaise room temperature
  • 1/3 cup whipping cream room temperature
  • Zest of half a lemon or 1 teaspoon lemon juice adjust to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Sauté the onions and garlic.
    Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add diced onions and minced garlic, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, until onions are fragrant and translucent. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup diced white or yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • Combine ingredients.
    Add capers, brine, and red pepper flakes, then stir and simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes. Add white wine, fresh dill, and brown sugar, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir frequently and keep the saucepan uncovered during cooking.
    2 tablespoons of capers, 1 tablespoon of the caper brine, 1/3 cup dry white wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons diced fresh dill, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Add in the dairy.
    Reduce heat to low or turn off the element to prevent the sauce from curdling. Add butter and mayonnaise, stirring until the butter melts. Slowly pour in the whipping cream, stirring frequently. Simmer on low for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add lemon zest and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
    1/4 cup unsalted or salted butter, 1/3 cup full fat mayonnaise, 1/3 cup whipping cream, Zest of half a lemon or 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt

Notes

  • Keep the heat very, very low when adding in the butter, mayonnaise, and whipping cream. Do not let the sauce come to a boil, or it may separate and curdle.
  • This sauce will need 1/3 cup of liquid from the wine to soften the onions and thin out the sauce. If you'd like to omit the wine, then you can add water mixed with a little bit of vegetable base, vegetable stock, or just water. Allow the liquid to mostly evaporate before continuing with the next steps of the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 526mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g