Sauces
Sauces is part of the non-country component guide library: practical how-to pages that can be recommended alongside full meals, country recipes, articles and menu builders.
How to make sauces feel special
Why not elevate the things you have all the time? Start with a favourite, then turn simple everyday ingredients into something worth looking forward to.
How to make sauces
Simple, practical guides for making everyday sides, bases, sauces and techniques better at home.
Apple Sauce
A simple apple sauce cooked until soft, then mashed or blended. Keep it gently sharp so it lifts pork and rich roasts.
Balsamic Glaze
A reduced balsamic vinegar glaze used in thin drizzles. Stop when it coats a spoon because it thickens further as it cools.
Barbecue Glaze
A sticky BBQ glaze built from ketchup or tomato, vinegar, sugar, spice and smoke. Reduce only until glossy so it brushes wel…
Basil Pesto
A northern Italian green sauce of basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil. Pound or pulse gently so the basil stays f…
Béarnaise Sauce
A classic French derivative of hollandaise flavoured with tarragon and shallot vinegar reduction. It should be buttery but c…
Béchamel Sauce
A French mother sauce made from butter, flour and milk. Cook the roux briefly, then add milk gradually to prevent lumps.
Beurre Blanc
A French butter sauce made by reducing wine, vinegar and shallot before whisking in cold butter. Keep it warm, not hot, so i…
Black Bean Sauce
A Chinese-style sauce built from fermented black beans, garlic, ginger and soy. It should be salty, savoury and aromatic.
Blue Cheese Dressing
A bold creamy dressing with crumbled blue cheese, sour cream or mayonnaise and lemon. Leave a few small cheese pieces for te…
Bread Sauce
A traditional British sauce of milk, onion, cloves, bay and breadcrumbs. It should be soft, creamy and gently spiced.
Brown Butter Sage Sauce
A quick Italian-style butter sauce where butter is cooked until nutty and finished with crisp sage. It should smell toasted…
Brown Sauce
A British-style brown sauce with fruit, vinegar, dates, tamarind-style depth and warm spice. It should taste sharp, savoury…
Burger Sauce
A creamy burger-house sauce built from mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle and paprika. It should be tangy enough to cut th…
Caesar Dressing
A savoury emulsion of garlic, anchovy, lemon, mustard, egg or mayonnaise and parmesan. It should taste punchy before it hits…
Cheese Sauce
A béchamel-based cheese sauce finished with grated cheese off the heat. Mustard helps sharpen the dairy and keeps the sauce…
Chimichurri
An Argentine-style herb sauce built from parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar and olive oil. It should taste lively, green and…
Chinese Curry Sauce
A chip-shop and takeaway-style curry sauce with onion, curry powder, stock and a little sweetness. It should be smooth, mild…
Chipotle Mayo
A smoky chilli mayonnaise using chipotle, lime and a little garlic. It is built for grilled food, tacos and roasted vegetabl…
Cider Gravy
A pork-friendly gravy with cider, stock, onion and pan juices. Balance sweetness with mustard or vinegar so it stays savoury.
Classic Gravy
A hot savoury sauce made from roasting juices, stock and a thickener. Scrape the pan well because the browned bits carry mos…
Classic Vinaigrette
A basic French-style oil and vinegar dressing. Use roughly three parts oil to one part acid, then adjust sharper for robust…
Cranberry Sauce
A bright fruit sauce made by simmering cranberries with sugar and citrus until the berries burst. Keep some texture for fres…
Creamy Mushroom Sauce
A rich mushroom sauce made by browning mushrooms properly before adding cream or stock. The browning stage prevents the sauc…
Demi Glace
A glossy reduced brown sauce made from espagnole and stock. It should be intensely savoury and used in small amounts.
Enchilada Sauce
A red chilli sauce for baking enchiladas, built with dried chilli or chilli powder, tomato, stock and spice. It should be po…
Espagnole Sauce
A deep brown French mother sauce made with brown stock, tomato, mirepoix and roux. It forms the base for rich meat sauces.
Garlic Aioli
A garlic-led mayonnaise-style sauce, traditionally associated with Mediterranean cooking. Use a small amount of raw garlic a…
Garlic Butter Sauce
A warm butter sauce with garlic, parsley and lemon. Use gentle heat so the garlic softens without turning bitter.
Gochujang Sauce
A Korean-style chilli sauce loosened with sesame, soy, rice vinegar and sweetness. It should be spicy, sticky and savoury.
Green Goddess Dressing
A creamy herb dressing with parsley, chives, tarragon, lemon and anchovy or capers. It should taste green, bright and luxuri…
Harissa Yoghurt Sauce
A quick North African-inspired yoghurt sauce with harissa and lemon. Swirl rather than fully mix if you want streaks of chil…
Hoisin Sauce
A thick Chinese-style sweet savoury sauce with fermented bean depth, garlic, sesame and spice. Use as a glaze, dip or stir-f…
Hollandaise
A warm butter-and-egg-yolk emulsion. Keep the heat gentle and whisk constantly so the yolks thicken into a smooth sauce with…
Honey Mustard Sauce
A simple sweet-sharp sauce made from mustard, honey and acid. Balance matters: it should taste like mustard first, honey sec…
Horseradish Cream
A sharp cream sauce made with horseradish, sour cream or creme fraiche, lemon and salt. Keep the heat clean and cold.
Katsu Curry Sauce
A Japanese-style curry sauce with onion, carrot, curry powder and stock, blended until smooth. It should be mellow, sweet an…
Lemon Butter Sauce
A bright warm butter sauce finished with lemon juice and zest. It should coat fish or vegetables without tasting greasy.
Marie Rose Sauce
A pink seafood sauce of mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon, Worcestershire and a little cayenne. It should be creamy, sweet, sharp a…
Marinara Sauce
A quick Italian-American tomato sauce with garlic, olive oil and basil. It should stay bright and fresh rather than deeply r…
Mayonnaise
A classic cold emulsion of egg yolk, oil, mustard and acid. Keep the oil slow at first, then loosen with lemon or vinegar un…
Mint Sauce
A British mint sauce of chopped mint, vinegar, sugar and salt. It should taste sharp and fresh enough to cut through lamb.
Mole Poblano Sauce
A complex Mexican sauce with dried chillies, nuts, spices and a little chocolate. It should be deep, savoury and gently bitt…
Mustard Cream Sauce
A warm cream sauce with Dijon or wholegrain mustard, stock and pan juices. It should be savoury, tangy and rounded.
Nam Jim Sauce
A Thai dipping sauce with lime, fish sauce, chilli, garlic and coriander root. It should be vivid, hot and sharply balanced.
Nuoc Cham
A Vietnamese dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic and chilli. It should balance sweet, salty, sour and heat.
Oyster Sauce
A glossy savoury sauce used to season stir-fries, noodles and greens. It gives deep umami without needing much.
Peppercorn Sauce
A steakhouse-style cream sauce with cracked peppercorns, stock and a splash of brandy or wine. Crush some peppercorns so the…
Pico de Gallo
A fresh Mexican salsa of tomato, onion, coriander, chilli and lime. Salt shortly before serving so it stays juicy and bright.
Ponzu Sauce
A Japanese citrus-soy sauce that brings salt, acid and fragrance. It should taste clean, bright and savoury.
Quick Pan Sauce
A flexible sauce made by deglazing browned pan juices with wine, stock or lemon, then finishing with butter. It turns cookin…
Raita
A cooling Indian yoghurt sauce often flavoured with cucumber, mint and cumin. Its job is to soften chilli heat and refresh t…
Ranch Dressing
A creamy American dressing made with buttermilk, mayonnaise or sour cream, garlic and herbs. Keep it loose enough to pour bu…
Red Wine Jus
A restaurant-style pan sauce reduced from red wine, stock and aromatics. It should be glossy, savoury and clean rather than…
Romesco Sauce
A Catalan-style roasted red pepper and nut sauce. Keep some texture so it feels rustic rather than like a smooth dip.
Salsa Roja
A Mexican red salsa made with tomatoes, chilli, onion and garlic. Roast the vegetables for deeper sweetness and smoke.
Salsa Verde
An Italian-style green herb sauce with capers, anchovy, parsley, vinegar and olive oil. It is designed to wake up simply coo…
Satay Peanut Sauce
A Southeast Asian-style peanut sauce with coconut milk, soy, lime and chilli. Warm gently and loosen with water until it dip…
Sriracha Mayo
A quick chilli mayonnaise that balances creamy richness with garlic heat and vinegar tang. Add lime so the sauce tastes live…
Ssamjang
A Korean dipping sauce of doenjang, gochujang, sesame, garlic and spring onion. It is bold, salty and built for wraps.
Sweet Chilli Sauce
A sweet, tangy chilli sauce with garlic, vinegar and sugar. It should be more lively than jam, with enough acid to stay brig…
Tahini Sauce
A Middle Eastern sesame sauce made by whisking tahini with lemon, garlic and water. It may seize at first, then turns creamy…
Tangy Salad Dressing
A flexible everyday dressing with oil, vinegar or lemon, mustard and seasoning. The best version is sharp enough to season t…
Tartare Sauce
A classic cold sauce of mayonnaise, capers, gherkins, herbs and lemon. Keep it chunky enough to feel fresh beside fried fish.
Teriyaki Sauce
A Japanese-inspired sweet soy glaze. Reduce until shiny and spoon-coating, then brush on near the end of cooking so the suga…
Thousand Island Dressing
A creamy American dressing with mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle, onion and egg or herbs. It brings tang, sweetness and texture t…
Tomato Ketchup
A sweet, sharp tomato condiment for chips, burgers and breakfast plates. Simmer tomato, vinegar, sugar and spice until gloss…
Tomato Pasta Sauce
A simple cooked tomato sauce with onion, garlic, olive oil and herbs. Simmer until the oil rises slightly and the tomato tas…
Tzatziki
A Greek yoghurt and cucumber sauce. Salt and squeeze the cucumber first so the finished sauce stays thick rather than watery.
Veloute Sauce
One of the French mother sauces, made from a light stock thickened with blond roux. It is a base for poultry, fish and veget…
XO Sauce
A Hong Kong-style luxury chilli sauce with dried seafood, ham, garlic and chilli. Use sparingly for huge savoury depth.