5 Easy Sauces You Can Make at Home
In the last several years, I’ve been making a real conscious effort to not buy processed, boxed or bottled foods and drinks. Clean eating isn’t always easy or cheap, but it’s definitely better for you and makes a difference in your diet. And I’m the first to admit that I’m not the “cleanest” eater, but I try my best.
One item in particular I try to make on my own are easy sauces.
Sauces are fun to experiment with, and pretty versatile. A lot of store-bought sauces are loaded with sugars and preservatives and all sorts of not-clean ingredients that wreak havoc on diets. Thus, I’ve been making my own easy sauces at home to use in my cooking whenever I need them. Plus, sauces are pretty fun to make, and this is an easy fix in any diet.
I’ve got five easy sauces that I make and keep in my fridge pretty regularly. They’re packed with spices and flavor, and can be used in so many different dishes and meals. A sauce can add a lot to a dish, so having these easy recipes on hand is a game-changer. And they take no time at all to whip up; seriously, I made all five of these in under an hour.
Check out these 5 easy sauces and try them at home!
Are you ready to get saucy? (Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)
#1 – Honey Mustard
Remember those old Frank’s Red Hot sauce commercials with the old lady that says, “I put that $#!% on everything”? That’s me with honey mustard. I got tired of buying it at the grocery store because I couldn’t find a brand that I liked on everything. So I made my own.
TO MAKE IT:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise (Duke’s is the only way to go)
- 1 spoonful plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mustard (I use stone-ground dijon)
- 1/4 cup honey
- Dashes of salt, pepper, paprika
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. For the best flavors, let it sit overnight for all the flavors to combine. Store in the fridge in a bottle or jar for up to a month.
#2 – Ranch
It’s a staple in every Southerner’s kitchen, because it also goes on almost everything. No true Southerner ever said he/she doesn’t like ranch dressing or dip. I love dipping carrots and bell peppers in ranch, especially if I don’t have any hummus.
TO MAKE IT:
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Dashes of cumin, rosemary
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. Another option is to put ingredients in a food processor and blend. Pour sauce into a bottle or jar and store in the fridge for up to a month. You’ll probably have to stir it before you serve it.
#3 – “Everything” Sauce
My friend Caroline from Adventures in Nonsense actually shared this recipe with me! It’s something she came up with and uses a lot in her own cooking. I’ve adjusted her recipe a little bit based on my spice preferences, but it’s still absolutely delicious and can be eaten with pretty much everything…like zucchini chips, as seen below.
TO MAKE IT:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Dashes of cumin, red pepper
Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 months. I usually go through this pretty quickly. This one is especially good after about 24 hours, once the flavors have combined.
#4 – Enchilada Sauce
Okay, so this one isn’t homemade… it’s more of a “hack.”
A few weeks ago, I wanted to make enchiladas for date night, so I picked up a jar of “mild” enchilada sauce at the grocery store. As I was assembling my enchiladas, I tasted the sauce, just to make sure it was indeed mild. It most definitely was NOT mild.
THE FIX:
- 3/4 cup enchilada sauce
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
The cool creaminess of the yogurt cuts through the spice and heat of the enchilada sauce and makes it much more manageable for those of us who can’t handle a lot of spice. If you don’t use all of the sauce for enchiladas, save it and put it in tacos, quesadillas, queso or your other favorite Mexican dish. It was actually a great touch to some tacos!
#5 – Avocado Pesto
I always enjoy a good cheese or red sauce on my pasta, but sometimes a little green is nice, too. In my efforts to cut back on carbs, I’ve been trying zucchini noodles as substitutes, and they’re not bad! This time, I tried them with avocado pesto for a lighter sauce and it was pretty delicious.
TO MAKE IT:
- 1/4 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- Half an avocado
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp water
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined. If you’d like it thinner, add more water or olive oil. If you’d like it creamier, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt and blend again. Use within 2 weeks (avocado will turn it brown).
If you want a simple fix in your diet, try making your own sauces at home instead of buying them. These easy sauces make a huge difference in taste and quality of your meals, and take no time at all to whip up. Let me know which one you try, and feel free to adapt and make it your own, too!
Which easy sauces do you like to make at home? What’s your favorite?
