This Lemon Caper Sauce is a 5-minute recipe for a fresh, creamy, tangy, and salty sauce, dip, or dressing! It's made with just 5 ingredients including creamy mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and zest, fresh dill, and salty capers.
Serve it with grilled fish or chicken, over a salad, with fresh veggies or kale chips!
This lemon caper sauce is such a delicious way to brighten up so many different foods. It pairs great with seafood such as salmon or shrimp, grilled chicken, fresh or roasted veggies, chips or crackers, and more!
It's rich and creamy from the mayonnaise, sweet and tangy from the lemon, salty from the capers, and rounded out with bright and fresh dill.
This fresh and vibrant sauce or dip requires just 5 ingredients and takes 5 minutes to whip up!
What are Capers? Capers are the immature flower buds, from a caper bush called Flinders Rose. Once picked, they are dried and brined or packed in salt to bring out their zesty, mild-floral, green olive-like flavor.
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Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
You just need 5 ingredients to make this delicious lemon caper sauce.
- Capers: The star of this sauce. Roughly chop the capers so they mix into the sauce well. If you cannot find them, spanish green olives make a close substitute.
- Mayonnaise: you can use whatever mayonnaise you like. I use classic mayo, but you could also use olive oil mayo, avocado oil mayo, vegan mayo, or even Greek yogurt for a lightened up option.
- Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: I recommend freshly grated lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice for a more intense, lemony flavor. You can easily zest your lemon using a microplane or cheese grater. Tip: Remember to zest before you juice.
- Dill: use fresh dill for a brighter flavor. Be sure to chop it finely so it incorporates well into the sauce.
- Salt (optional): You can add salt to taste after you mix everything together.
Lemon Butter Caper Sauce: Enjoy this popular variation by simply replacing mayonnaise with melted unsalted butter!.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Lemon Caper Sauce
- Add mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, and capers to a bowl.
- Whisk everything together until fully combined, then taste test and add salt, if needed.
How to Serve Lemon Caper Sauce
Lemon caper sauce is a delicious way to liven up a number of different foods! Here are a few different ways you can use it:
- Sauce. Serve it with salmon patties, chicken shawarma, grilled lamb chops, Mediterranean spiced chicken, or crispy air fryer fish sticks.
- Dip. Use it as a dip next to freshly sliced veggies like cucumber, carrots, and celery or with a side of kale chips or french fries.
- Dressing. Thin it out with a splash of water and drizzle it over greek salad or pasta salad.
How to Store
Leftover lemon caper sauce will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I don't recommend freezing it because the mayonnaise will separate and become watery.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Here are a few of my tips for making this easy caper sauce!
- Use any mayonnaise you prefer. You can use classic mayo, olive oil or avocado oil mayo, light mayo, etc.
- Lighten it up by using plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayo.
- Make a vegan lemon caper sauce, by using vegan mayo instead.
- When you zest your lemon, be sure to zest just the very surface of the peel, not the white pith underneath as that has a bitter flavor.
- Be sure to chop the dill and capers relatively small in size so they incorporate well into the sauce. You want some texture, but not chunks.
- Use fresh ingredients. For best results, I recommend fresh dill, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and fresh zest for brighter, more vibrant flavors.
- Chill the sauce in the fridge for a few hours before you serve it to give the flavors time to really meld together.
- Lemon Butter Caper Sauce: Simply replace mayonaisse with unsalted melted butter to make this variation.
Common Questions
Capers are the unripened flower buds of the caper bush. They're small and round but pack a big flavor punch with their tangy, salty, and subtly floral flavor.
Capers can usually be found in the condiment aisle at the grocery store, often with pickles and olives. Alternatively, look for them in the international aisle with the Italian products or in the pasta aisle near the sauce.
You can rinse the capers, but it isn't necessary. If you do rinse them, keep in mind that will rinse off some of the salty flavor added by the brine.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dill chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon capers roughly chopped
- 1 pinch salt optional- add only if needed
Instructions
- Add mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, chopped dill and capers in a small mixing bowl. If needed, add a pinch of salt. Mix everything to prepare the sauce.
Notes
- Use any mayonnaise you prefer. You can use classic mayo, olive oil or avocado oil mayo, light mayo, etc.
- Lighten it up by using plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayo.
- Make a vegan lemon caper sauce, by using vegan mayo instead.
- When you zest your lemon, be sure to zest just the very surface of the peel, not the white pith underneath as that has a bitter flavor.
- Be sure to chop the dill and capers relatively small in size so they incorporate well into the sauce. You want some texture, but not chunks.
- Use fresh ingredients. For best results, I recommend fresh dill, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and fresh zest for brighter, more vibrant flavors.
- Chill the sauce in the fridge for a few hours before you serve it to give the flavors time to really meld together.
- Lemon Butter Caper Sauce: Simply replace mayonnaise with unsalted melted butter to make this variation.
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