11 Delicious Sauces Every Dinner Table Needs
If you feel like your meal is missing a little something, then a sauce might be just what you need. A good sauce brings out the flavors of a dish, adds a little bit of texture, and gives it some extra flair. They can be sweet, savory, spicy, creamy, or herby, and these eleven recipes will have you covered for any menu.
1. Peanut Sauce
Looking for a sauce you can use as a dip, stir-fry sauce, or salad dressing? This 5-minute Peanut Sauce is made with just three basic ingredients, but its flavor is anything but basic.
2. Barbecue Sauce
Every cook should know how to make a basic homemade barbecue sauce. Whether you are marinating, grilling, or just adding flavor, a good barbecue sauce recipe will always elevate the flavor of whatever you add it to.
3. Marinara Sauce
If you love making pasta at home, you need to know how to make a good Marinara Sauce from scratch. Marinara sauce can be used for pasta, pizza, rice, and more.
4. Chinese Garlic Sauce
Chinese Garlic Sauce is a great sauce to whip up when you are making a Chinese dish. It’s great for stir fry, vegetables, and all kinds of meats.
5. Basil Pesto Sauce
Basil Pesto Sauce is a must-know for any home cook. It’s great for spreading on sandwiches, adding to pasta, or even using as a pizza sauce. There are so many dishes made better by the addition of pesto that it would be silly not to know how to make it. It only takes a few minutes and tastes way better than anything store-bought.
6. Teriyaki Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce is a sauce of Japanese origin that has many applications in Asian cuisine. Like the Chinese barbecue sauce, you can use it for stir-frying or as a meat marinade. Either way, teriyaki sauce is easy to make at home, so you can skip buying the bottled ones. It is also made with common pantry ingredients, so making it is a breeze.
7. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Knowing how to make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is another important skill in the kitchen. This sauce brings depth of flavor to any dish with its combination of saltiness, sweetness, and spiciness. Although popularly used in Thai dishes, you can now see widespread use of this sauce in various cuisines.
8. Spaghetti Sauce
A delicious Spaghetti Sauce is something that every good chef knows how to make. Most people confuse it with marinara sauce, but there are a few distinctions. Marinara sauce is thinner and has a stronger tomato flavor, whereas spaghetti sauce tends to be thicker and is more heavily spiced. It’s not uncommon to add ground meat to spaghetti sauce, either.
9. Alfredo Sauce
Once you know how to make this Alfredo Sauce, you can create delicious meals quickly. This particular recipe is dairy-free and totally delicious. It’s made with white beans instead of dairy but tastes just as delicious.
10. Nacho Cheese Sauce
Any good cook must have a good Nacho Cheese Sauce recipe. This sauce is perfect for drizzling over nachos or a baked potato. Whether you’re making dinner for the entire family or preparing a snack, you will find many uses for this nacho cheese sauce.
11. Fish Sauce
If you cook a lot of Asian dishes, you’ll find that there is one common staple ingredient: fish sauce. Learning how to make your own Fish Sauce can save you money in the long run and ensure you can make a healthier version. A fish sauce is salty, adding more umami to your dishes. This particular recipe is vegan.
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This originally appeared on The Gracious Pantry.