25 Easy Sauce Recipes For Every Meal

From tangy salad dressings to creamy pasta accompaniments, this roundup has something to suit every taste and occasion. Join us on a flavorful journey as we explore a diverse array of sauces that are quick to whip up yet bursting with deliciousness. Browse through this list, and take your pick: these healthy sauces will make those greens pop and add flavor and nutrition to your meal. Rich, creamy, nutty, and nutritious, tahini sauce is a favorite drizzle-on sauce for everything. We love it with a crispy tofu salad, hummus, and lentil patties.

2. Mustard dressing

The first recipe on our list is this basic mustard and lemon vinaigrette, perfect for salads and vegetable side dishes. It makes simple veggies pop; try it on steamed asparagus and roasted bell pepper and taste the difference.

3. Cilantro lime dressing

This cilantro lime dressing is excellent with authentic Mexican food and Tex-Mex food. Think tacos, taco salad, sweet potato salad, guacamole, and burritos. Anything with beans, rice, potatoes, corn, and most grilled, steamed, and boiled vegetables will be delicious with a cilantro lime dressing.

4. Romesco sauce

Here is how to make a quick romesco sauce at home with simple pantry staples found in most supermarkets. Like most Mediterranean recipes, the sauce is held together by a generous drizzle of good-quality olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Charred and roasted bell peppers add an element of umami and a beautiful red color. You can use it as a sauce in peanut noodles, drizzle on Buddha bowls and grilled tofu, or as a dipping sauce for air fryer tofu, spring rolls, and veggies.

6. BBQ sauce

Our homemade BBQ sauce pairs perfectly with anything cooked on the grill, from veggies to meats and tofu. It’s also excellent on burgers or sandwiches. Try it in a toasted bun with our BBQ tofu and creamy coleslaw – it’s our version of a meat-free pulled pork sandwich and a high-protein vegetarian meal.

7. Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde adds flavor to grilled, steamed, boiled, oven-roasted, or air-fried vegetables. We also use it as a dressing for chickpeas, lentils, and beans, predominantly white cannellini beans. Drizzle salsa verde on raw vegetables, like tomatoes and fennel, flatbread pizza, piadina, or focaccia. It’s a super-easy way to make these dishes pop.

8. Marinara sauce

This Italian marinara sauce is easy, versatile, and perfect with pizza, pasta, and mains. It’s a simple recipe that is a lifesaver if you’re short on time and must prepare a quick and tasty dinner. Chermoula pairs beautifully with other North African recipes, such as Moroccan chickpea stew, Harira soup, Moroccan lentil soup, and Moroccan carrot salad with couscous.

10. Yogurt tahini sauce

You’ll love this yogurt tahini sauce recipe because you can use it as a dip, spread, or dollop on most dishes, such as curries, stews, soups, salads, roasted and grilled veggies. Its creamy texture and tangy, aromatic, refreshing taste goes exceptionally well with Mediterranean, North African, Middle Eastern, and Indian-inspired recipes.

11. Chipotle sauce

Here is how to make a creamy chipotle sauce at home with simple ingredients and provide a vegetarian and vegan option. You can use chipotle sauce like mayonnaise or any other creamy dressing, and it’s excellent on salads, grain bowls, and roasted and air-fried veggies.

12. Arugula pesto

Our arugula pesto recipe is a beautiful alternative to classic basil pesto. It’s easy to make, keeps well for days, and has a zesty flavor with a peppery twist. The recipe is fresh and nutritious and adds character to many Italian dishes. You can make it with or without parmesan cheese; it only takes 5 minutes in a food processor.

13. Tzatziki sauce

All you need to make tzatziki is Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, dill, and just over 15 minutes to make this irresistible Greek recipe. Serve it as a topping, dip, starter, or side dish with grilled vegetables, salads, pita bread, fritters, and falafel. This recipe is based on the authentic Pesto alla Genovese recipe with fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil.

15. Sicilian tomato pesto

Sicilian pesto is delicious because it uses fresh ricotta, which adds a creamy texture and excellent flavor. This tomato pesto recipe is easy in 5 minutes in a food processor or blender. Toss it with your favorite pasta for an outstanding, family-friendly weeknight dinner.

16. Vegan mayonnaise

This vegan mayo guide will teach you the tips and tricks of egg-free mayonnaise. It’s tasty, versatile, and so easy to make that you can make it in one minute with six simple ingredients. Serve it with veggies, in a sandwich, or as a burger spread.

17. Italian dressing

Homemade Italian dressing is a simple vinaigrette recipe to add flavor, freshness, and aroma to many salads. It is a classic dressing that immediately levels salads, grain bowls, and pasta salads.

18. Green goddess dressing

Green goddess dressing is a creamy salad dressing made with plenty of fresh herbs. Our recipe is a vegan green goddess dressing that feels modern and light, and it is packed with plenty of fresh green herbs that give it that classic green goddess taste. It’s an incredible ally to add flavor to most vegetables and sides, cooked in most ways, from grilled zucchini and eggplant to boiled potatoes, from oven-roasted carrots to air-fried cauliflower.

20. Carrot ginger dressing

This carrot ginger dressing is so tasty that you might end up drinking it out of the blender jar. It’s a sweet, savory, and smoothie-like condiment to drizzle on veggies, noodles, and bowls. This recipe is Japanese-inspired, and if you’ve ever been to a Japanese restaurant in the US, you might be familiar with those flavors

21. Sun-dried tomato pesto

Sun-dried tomato pesto, called pesto rosso (red pesto) in Italian, will make you taste the flavors of sunny Mediterranean shores. Drying tomatoes in the sun makes them a flavor concentrate, making the pesto robust and rich and packed with umami, which has a rich and mouthwatering savory taste.

22. Vegan pesto

Next, we’ll show you how to make vegan pesto in 10 minutes with simple ingredients. Whether you use it as a pasta sauce, a dip, or upgrading a vegetarian dinner, this cheese-free pesto will make your taste buds happy and your body healthy. The best part is that you don’t have to cook the zucchini to put this sauce together in 5 minutes.

24. Vegan ranch dressing

Homemade dairy-free ranch dressing is a lighter and more sustainable choice while retaining all the classic ranch’s creaminess, flavor, and tang. This blog post will show you how to make the best vegan ranch dressing with simple, non-dairy ingredients.

25. Cashew sauce

Sour cream is perfect with potatoes, soups, and a dip with nachos. Try this velvety, creamy version with your next baked potato, nachos, or Taco Tuesday, or as an easy appetizer.

Grilled zucchini, roasted bell peppers, and eggplant (green goddess dressing). Smashed potatoes (chimichurri sauce and tomato salsa). Roasted carrots (salsa verde and tahini sauce). Microwave sweet potatoes (cilantro lime dressing, guacamole, tahini sauce). Naan bread or focaccia bread (for dipping into any sauce).

Roasted Carrots

Microwave Sweet Potato

Focaccia

Roasted Eggplant

Pesto freezes well for up to 6 months. Please put it in a small jar or in ice cube trays to have smaller portions at hand.

30 High Protein Vegan Meals

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35 Plant-based Recipes

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients. Easy right? Comment * Name Email Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me when Louise or Nico reply to my comment.

Δ All the best, Louise Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.