21 Versatile Sauce Recipes to Have on Hand

3 5 minutes read

The best sauces are culinary workhorses that know no boundaries. We love the idea of making a single sauce and then discovering all the creative ways to use it, imparting new layers of flavor and texture to whatever we're cooking. This recipe collection offers up versatile sauces that are perfect for amplifying any meal. Try cheesy Mornay sauce on egg dishes, robust ají verde on virtually any kind of roasted or grilled meat or vegetables, and zesty Alabama white barbecue sauce on chicken, pork, or potatoes. We've also included some sweet sauces, so you can punch up your dessert game. Because really, what's not better with sauce?

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

This famous tomato sauce from Italian cooking icon Marcella Hazan is more than the sum of its parts. A yellow onion, most of a stick of butter, and an hour on the stovetop brings a simple can of tomatoes to their sweet, tomatoey peak.

Burnt Honey Barbecue Sauce

Jen Causey

Use tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, and just-burnt honey to make this smoky, sophisticated homemade barbecue sauce.

Pesto Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Pesto can be made from various ingredients in any number of ways, but this classic basil and pine nut version is especially smooth and versatile, adding fresh flavor to everything from pasta to salads, sandwiches, soups, grilled meats, and roasted vegetables.

Mortar and Pestle Garlic Aïoli

Jen Causey

Use your mortar and pestle to make this simple garlic aïoli, then dip, dollop, and spread the mayonnaise-like sauce to your heart's content.

Mole Poblano

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Holy mole! Rich, decadent, and deeply flavorful, this version blends chiles, chocolate, spices, nuts, and seeds for a sauce that's begging to be served over meat, spooned over enchiladas, and drizzled onto burritos or tacos. It's also terrific with eggs and rice.

Ají Verde (Peruvian-Style Green Sauce)

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Prepared with ají amarillo paste, lime, scallions, and plenty of cilantro, this iconic Peruvian green sauce is a robust partner for rotisserie chicken, grilled meats, roasted or grilled fish, and all manner of veggies.

Onion Béchamel

Photo by Justin Walker / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Half of a small yellow onion gives this rich, thick white sauce that little bit of je ne sais quoi. Use it in lasagna, macaroni and cheese, gratins, or as a base for soups and other casseroles.

Mornay Sauce

Yekaterina Boytsova

Add cheese to your béchamel and you've got a luscious cheese sauce to drizzle over whatever you please. It's especially great with egg dishes like this sausage-studded strata.

Classic Crème Anglaise

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen.

This rich four-ingredient French custard sauce is essentially unchurned ice cream. Flecked with fragrant vanilla beans, it adds a little touch of luxury to whatever it's spooned over, from fresh fruit to cakes and all sorts of plated desserts.

Caramel Sauce

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Homemade caramel sauce can take nearly any dessert to the next level. This one uses both butter and cream — and the perfect amount of salt to balance out the sweetness.

Nuoc Cham

Greg DuPree

This ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce made from lime juice, sugar, rice vinegar, and fish sauce is perfect as a dip, but don't stop there. It's also superb on egg dishes, as a dressing for noodles, or sprinkled onto rice.

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Alexandria Juhl

Creamy, zesty Alabama white barbecue sauce is a natural pairing with grilled or smoked chicken or pork, but we also love it with wings, as a dressing for coleslaw or potato salad, or as a topping for baked potatoes.

Tzatziki

Julia Hartbeck

Creamy, cooling tzatziki combines Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and dill for an incredibly adaptable sauce. Serve it as an appetizer dip with toasted pita wedges; as a perfect complement to grilled lamb, chicken, fish, and veggies; or as a spread for your gyro sandwich.

Chimichurri

Julia Hartbeck

Though infinitely customizable, the main components of bright, herbaceous chimichurri are tender herbs, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and garlic and/or minced shallot. Salty, acidic, oily, and vivacious, it's fantastic drizzled over grilled meat or vegetables, tossed with greens like a vinaigrette, or as a dressing for pasta salad.

Thai Green Curry Coconut Sauce

Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styliing Claire Spollen

Usher in the highly aromatic flavors of Thailand by utilizing green chiles, garlic, lemongrass, coconut milk, makrut lime leaves, and basil for this essential green curry. Mix in your favorite protein and veggies and serve over rice, use it as a poaching liquid, or incorporate it into a tasty stir-fry.

Whole Lemon Vinaigrette

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Once you've made your own vinaigrette, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with the bottled stuff. This lemony version brightens everything it comes in contact with, from salads to tuna and chicken.

Gochujang Sauce

Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford

Simmer the deeply savory Korean chile paste gochujang with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil to make a saucy condiment for drizzling over everything from bibimbap to grain bowls and congee, or use it as a steak marinade.

Romesco Sauce

Christopher Testani

Made from tomatoes, chiles, garlic, bell pepper, and nuts, this multipurpose sauce is terrific served with everything from grilled vegetables and bread to shrimp, fish, chicken, and steak.

Best-Ever Marinara

Aaron Kirk

Made either chunky or smooth, marinara is our top-of-mind tomato sauce. Layer it on pizza, toss it with pasta, or use it as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks or zucchini fries.

Dumpling Dipping Sauce

Julia Hartbeck

Whether you've got spring rolls, gyoza, or potstickers, you need a dipping sauce — this one made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, chile-garlic sauce, and toasted sesame oil fits the bill.

Belgian Chocolate Fudge Sauce

This ganache sauce is rich and not overly sweet. It's a supremely versatile recipe that's suited for all sorts of dessert applications; over ice cream or other chilled sweets, it'll firm up to form a truffle-like topping.

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