I’m a firm believer that there’s nothing that can elevate a meal like just the right sauce — and that it doesn’t need to be complicated, either. This lemon caper sauce checks all of those boxes.
With briny capers, bright lemon, and rich butter, this sauce is a winner on anything from seafood, chicken breast and pasta to veggies like roasted asparagus or broccolini. The best part? It’s super simple and comes together in less than 10 minutes. Get ready to take your quick weeknight meals from so-so to saucy and sophisticated.
What is Lemon Caper Sauce?
Lemon caper sauce is a butter-based sauce enhanced with white wine, citrus, and capers. Butter gives the sauce its rich mouthfeel while citrus and white wine balance the butter with their acidity. Meanwhile, capers add briny flavor and a bit of texture to the sauce.
It’s a refined yet simple sauce with a complex flavor profile that will taken any savory dish to the next level.
Why You’ll Love Lemon Caper Sauce
If you’re a fan of buttery, savory sauces there’s no reason not to love this deliciousness!
- More capers – As opposed to other versions of this sauce, there are significantly more capers, giving it even more briny flavor. It’s also a thinner sauce, making it even more versatile than its counterparts.
- Make it your own – You can make the sauce thinner or thicker, add more or fewer capers, and adjust the other ingredients to make it your own.
- Use it one chicken, pasta or fish – This sauce can be used to jazz up meals any time of the day. Drizzle it over eggs, use it on sandwiches, toss it with pasta, or spoon it over veggies and proteins. It’s sure to elevate any dish you use it with.
Ingredients
Using simple ingredients that you likely have handy means you can whip this sauce up any time.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter is the base of this delicious sauce. Because salt will be added, and capers have a natural saltiness, it’s easier to control the salt level of the sauce if you use unsalted butter.
- Garlic Cloves – Be sure to mince the cloves finely and uniformly so that they cook evenly and are well distributed in the sauce.
- Shallot – The shallots should also be mined finely and benefit from being around the same size as the garlic for even cooking.
- White Wine – Use a dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc for the best flavor. Do note that the short cooking time can create the potential for the alcohol to not entirely cook off. If you’re concerned about that, you can use cooking wine or chicken broth instead.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Citrus adds a bright flavor to the sauce.
- Lemon Zest – Zest helps to build a more concentrated lemon flavor.
- Coarse Kosher Salt – Salt brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Flat Parsley – Mince the parsley finely and be sure to stir it well so that it’s distributed throughout the finished sauce.
- Capers – Be sure to drain the capers. Keep in mind that different brands will have varying levels of saltiness so taste them before adding them to the sauce. Adjust the amount as needed. If they are particularly salty, you can also rinse them instead of just draining.
What To Serve Lemon Caper Sauce With
This flavorful sauce can simply be tossed with vegetables, couscous, rice, or your favorite type of pasta either for a hot pasta dish or for pasta salad. But there are tons of other ways to use it.
Drizzle it over fish like halibut, cod, tilapia, or salmon, or use it in place of hollandaise on eggs Benedict. You can also spoon it over baked chicken, scallops, or shrimp, use it (once cooled) as a dressing for a simple tossed salad, or mix it with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for a flavorful dip or spread.
How to Make Lemon Caper Sauce
This simple sauce is so elegant and flavorful — no one will believe it came together so quickly.
- Place the butter in a small skillet or saucepan and heat until melted.
- Add the aromatics to the melted butter and saute them briefly.
- Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and sprinkle in the zest and salt.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for the recommended time. Avoid bringing the mixture to a boil to prevent browning the butter.
- Add the chopped fresh parsley and capers, stirring until combined.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve.
Variations
This easy sauce can easily be modified with simple substitutes.
- Citrus – For a different citrusy profile, try using orange juice and orange zest instead of lemon.
- Sweetness – Make the sauce slightly sweet by adding a little bit of sugar or honey.
- Tomatoes – Add bright color and flavor by tossing in chopped sun-dried tomaotes.
- Heat – Make the sauce slightly spicy with crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper powder. For a gentle heat, sprinkle in some white or black pepper.
- Herbs – Incorporate fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or tarragon.
- Capers – If you don’t prefer the flavor of capers, use diced green olives or black olives to impart brininess. Or, you can omit them and make a simple lemon butter sauce.
- Cheese – For a little nutty flavor, add a sprinkle of parmesan before serving.
Storage and Freezing
Once the sauce has cooled to room temperature you can easily store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Reheat it on the stove or microwave it in intervals.
If you want to make the sauce ahead for an upcoming occasion, refrigerate it and then reheat it when ready to serve.
How to Store Lemon Caper Sauce
Store this sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
How to Freeze Lemon Caper Sauce
Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Or, you can store it in a silicone ice cube tray for easy removal of single servings.
Common Questions About Lemon Caper Sauce
Caper sauce consists of aromatics like garlic and shallots and the juice and zest of lemons as well as white wine and capers all mixed into a rich butter-based sauce.
The easiest way to thicken a sauce is to use a cornstarch or flour slurry. First mix the cornstarch or flour with water, then whisk it into the sauce.
You can easily make a sauce thicker by allowing it to simmer longer on the stove. This will let more moisture evaporate, thereby thickening the sauce.
Other Savory Sauces
There’s nothing like a good sauce to elevate a dish. Here are a few of our favorite savory sauces for dipping or topping meals.
Beurre Blanc Sauce Recipe
Chinese Hot Mustard Recipe
Caramelized Onion Jam
Lemon Caper Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon shallot minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon flat parsley minced
- 1/2 cup capers drained
Instructions
- In a shallow saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the shallot and garlic, softening for 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley and capers. Use immediately.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
I was looking for a sauce to use with some extra salmon fillets we have. This was perfectly zesty! I loved it!
I love how versatile this sauce is. I can pair it with beef, pork, chicken, or shellfish. I can do anything with it!
Love this caper sauce! We love tossing it with shrimp and pasta.
So zesty! I loved it drizzled over my salad. I can’t wait to see what else I can drizzle it over.