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Want to dress up your fish? This lusciously creamy dill sauce for salmon transforms it into a restaurant quality meal! As two cookbook authors, this is one of our favorite ways to serve salmon.

Why we love this recipe
Looking to dress up your fish? This lusciously creamy dill sauce adds a burst of tangy, herbaceous flavor to everything it touches. It’s fantastic on anything, of course: like carrot sticks, fries, or as a sandwich spread.
But we’ve found it’s most at home with a piece of savory, perfectly seasoned fish! This sauce compliments the rich, buttery notes of salmon perfectly. (Plus, fresh dill is everything, right?) It takes baked salmon from blah to magnificent in just 5 minutes!
Ingredients in this dill sauce for salmon
Dill sauce is a natural pairing with salmon: this delicate herb is often paired with fish in Scandinavian cuisine. Its citrusy, subtle licorice flavor is infused throughout this creamy sauce, which has a simple mix of lemon and herbs. This dill sauce has a bit of richness for drizzling on fish: you’ll only need a small amount for big impact. (Contrast that to our Greek yogurt-based Dill Sauce, which is better used as a vegetable dip or on a falafel sandwich.) Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Finely chopped fresh dill
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Dried dill
- Sugar

Fresh vs dried dill
The flavor of this dill sauce for salmon is best with both fresh dill and dried dill! Fresh dill has a unique flavor that’s hard to replicate with only the dried version. However, buying fresh herbs can be expensive and it’s not always possible to access fresh dill. If you can’t find it, use 2 teaspoons dried dill instead (then skip the added dried dill in the recipe).
Why does this dill sauce use fresh dill and dried dill? They’re both essential to the flavor. Fresh dill infuses a light, citrusy, herby flavor whereas dried dill gives a darker complexity. Don’t leave out the dried dill either! The flavor is lacking without it.
Ways to serve this dill sauce for salmon
This dill sauce for salmon works with just about any way you want to cook this fish! Here are a few of our top methods for how to cook salmon, which pair excellently with this sauce recipe:
- Baked: Try it with Easy Oven Baked Salmon
- Pan Seared: It’s great on Easy Pan Seared Salmon
- Broiled: Broiling is quick and easy; try Quick Broiled Salmon
- Grilled: It’s great on Easy Grilled Salmon
- Poached: This sauce brings Poached Salmon to life!
- Sandwich: Try this Salmon Sandwich with Dill Sauce

More salmon sauces
Want more ideas for sauces for salmon? There are loads of ways to accessorize this popular fish. Here are some of our top sauces for salmon:
- Add bright green Chimichurri Sauce
- Go for citrusy Lemon Caper Sauce
- Mix up homemade pesto for Pesto Salmon
- Make a creamy mix of Remoulade Sauce
Dietary notes
This dill sauce for salmon recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe uses both types of dill. If you don’t have fresh dill, use 2 teaspoons dried dill total.
Dill sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Dill sauce pairs well with many types of fish, including white fish like cod, haddock, or halibut, as well as other oily fish like trout or mackerel. It can also be used as a dip for vegetables or chips.
Dill Sauce for Salmon
Want to dress up your fish? This lusciously creamy dill sauce for salmon transforms it into a restaurant quality meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2/3 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Essentials
- Cuisine: Sauce
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried*)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. If you’d like the sauce consistency thinner, add water ½ teaspoon at a time. Drizzle over Baked Salmon, Grilled Salmon, or Pan Seared Salmon. Leftovers store up to 1 week refrigerated.
Notes
*The flavor with fresh dill is best here, but if you don’t have it use 2 teaspoons dried dill total (you can then omit the extra ¼ teaspoon dried dill).
While the internet is still in its infancy (and the useless recipes and comments that seem to prevail) This is simply a keeper. I have tried it out on several people and found it to be well-balanced and proportioned. This is not just me, but other people with taste buds I respect. I’m so happy I found something that works and most importantly, glowing reviews from everyone who wants the recipe! One important fact—it (just like going out for breakfast and using jam) should be at room temperature to enjoy its full flavor.
Thank you for the comment! We love it as well :)
Made this sauce tonight, and it was the perfect accompaniment to my salmon!
Just made it with dried dill from last years crop. It was great on our baked salmon.
I will definitely make it again.
thank you very much for this Dill sauce recipe
its not just for salmon, its also great on cod its loved by all in my family love it love it love it
Let us know if you have any questions!
I would like to know if this sauce should be served hot please
Cool!