Tartar sauce is a creamy mayo-based sauce flavored with dill pickles (or relish) and a few fresh herbs. I like my tartar sauce more on the dip-side, not so thick that you have almost scoop it. But, that’s the great thing about making your own—you can easily customize this to your preferences.

Related: If you love fish recipes next try our Air Fryer Salmon or Baked Salmon recipes.

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise
• Dill relish
• Parsley
• Dill
• Lemon juice
• Granulated white sugar

How to make Tartar Sauce

Finely chop the parsley and dill. In a small to medium sized mixing bowl stir together the mayo, relish, herbs, lemon juice and sugar.

You can store any leftover tartar sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at least a week but likely longer. The flavors of the sauce will deepen the longer you store it.

Notes and Substitutions

• You can swap regular mayo or Miracle Whip or another low-fat option if you prefer. If you want to make this vegan friendly use a vegan mayonnaise like Vegenaise.
• Instead of dill relish you can finely chop up dill pickles for this. If you do this will make the sauce thicker and more chunky in consistency.
• You could swap the dill relish or sweet relish. If you do I recommend omitting the sugar as it won’t be necessary to balance the flavors.
• If you don’t have fresh lemon juice you could use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead.

More Sauce Recipes

• Chick-fil-A Sauce
• Stir Fry Sauce
• BBQ Sauce
• Big Mac Sauce
• Cocktail Sauce

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Tartar Sauce

A creamy sauce made with dill relish, parsley and dill for dipping or spreading on fish.

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword tartar sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 205kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup dill relish
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon dill
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspon granulated white sugar

Instructions

• Finely chop the parsley and dill.
• In a small to medium sized mixing bowl stir together the mayo, relish, herbs, lemon juice and sugar.
• You can store any leftover tartar sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at least a week but likely longer.

Notes

• You can swap regular mayo or Miracle Whip or another low-fat option if you prefer. If you want to make this vegan friendly use a vegan mayonnaise like Vegenaise.
• Instead of dill relish you can finely chop up dill pickles for this. If you do this will make the sauce thicker and more chunky in consistency.
• You could swap the dill relish or sweet relish. If you do I recommend omitting the sugar as it won’t be necessary to balance the flavors.
• If you don’t have fresh lemon juice you could use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.3mg

A lot of weeknight dinners we make at our house are pretty basic. We make some kind of protein (meat or plant-based) with rice or pasta. So, I like to have easy ways to change this up flavor-wise. And that’s where this orange chicken sauce recipe comes in.

This orange chicken sauce can be served over baked chicken, fried chicken, or air fryer chicken. You can add steamed rice, fried rice, or cauliflower rice to fill out the meal.

Related: Check out Cashew Chicken Sauce and Sweet & Sour Sauce for more homemade sauce options or give our Easy Chicken Pot Pie a try!

Orange Chicken Sauce Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Orange juice + zest
• Granulated white sugar
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Cornstarch
• Red pepper flakes

Directions:

Cook the minced ginger and garlic in the olive oil over medium/high heat for a minute or two. Then, add the orange juice, zest, sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the red pepper flakes.

In a small bowl or glass, stir together the cornstarch with one tablespoon water. This creates a thick slurry mixture. Slowly pour this into the sauce, stirring as you do.

Continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Taste and add more soy sauce or red pepper flakes if needed.

Tips & Substitutions:

• You can substitute honey for the granulated white sugar if you like.
• If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar instead.
• Sauce is like gravy in that if it’s not thickening as much as you want after you’ve added the cornstarch, turn the heat up a little and continue to cook. Keep an eye on it though, as it can thicken quickly.
• You can store orange chicken sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week—just rewarm before using.

Serving Suggestions:

• You can use this Springfield-Style Cashew Cauliflower recipe and substitute this orange chicken sauce for a vegetarian-friendly option.
• When we make rice, I always use a rice cooker since it’s so easy, and then I can focus on making the chicken and sauce while the rice cooker does its thing.
• I like to add a few chopped green onions over this sauce just before serving.

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Orange Chicken Sauce

sweet and spicy orange sauce for chicken

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Keyword orange chicken, Orange Chicken Sauce, sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 79kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup orange juice and zest from orange
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a sauce pan, cook the minced ginger and garlic in the olive oil over medium/high heat for a minute or two.
• Then, add the orange juice, zest, sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
• Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
• Stir in the red pepper flakes.
• In a small bowl or glass, stir together the cornstarch with one tablespoon water. This creates a thick slurry mixture.
• Slowly pour this into the sauce, stirring as you do.
• Continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Taste and add more soy sauce or red pepper flakes if needed.

Notes

• You can substitute honey for the granulated white sugar if you like.
• If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar instead.
• Sauce is like gravy in that if it’s not thickening as much as you want after you’ve added the cornstarch, turn the heat up a little and continue to cook. Keep an eye on it though, as it can thicken quickly.
• You can store orange chicken sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, just rewarm before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 161IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.4mg

I think being able to make a great stir fry is one of those meals everyone should know—it should be taught in schools as a basic life skill. I love rice, I love noodles and I love using up whatever leftover meats and vegetables are sitting in my fridge.

While yes, you could certainly use a store-bought stir fry sauce I think there’s a lot of value in being able to throw one together from things you likely already have on hand. This easy stir fry sauce recipe is flavorful, slightly sweet and a little bit spicy. It goes great with almost anything you are throwing into your stir fry.

Related: Sweet Chili Sauce, Spring Roll Sauce, Dumpling Sauce, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Orange Chicken Sauce.

Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients

• Soy sauce – You can use tradition soy sauce or low sodium or gluten-free.
• Chicken stock – Or chicken broth.
• Sesame oil – Adds depth of flavor.
• Rice vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic – Fresh garlic, minced.
• Ginger – Fresh ginger, minced.
• Brown sugar
• Red pepper flakes – For a little kick.

While this may seem like a lot of ingredients, keep in mind that many of them are either shelf stable or can be stored in the refrigerator for long periods (so you can use them up over time).

How to Make Stir Fry Sauce

In a small- to medium-size mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk together until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Another option is to add all the ingredients to a jar, like a mason jar, with a lid. Then shake well until the sugar has dissolved.

Now you can pour the stir fry sauce over your stir fry mixture while cooking in a large skillet or pan. Store any unused sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. This makes about a cup of sauce (the perfect amount), so I can typically use this recipe twice. But it depends how much stir fry you are making/how big your family is.

Tips & Substitutions

• Instead of soy sauce, you could use low-sodium soy sauce, liquid aminos or gluten-free soy sauce. 
• You can substitute vegetable or beef stock for chicken if you prefer. You may also use vegetable broth if you want to make a vegan stir fry sauce. 
• If you don’t have sesame oil and don’t want to buy it, you can use another cooking oil like olive oil. But, I do think the flavor of the sesame oil adds to this recipe.
• If you don’t have rice vinegar and don’t want to buy it, you can use apple cider vinegar. I like the sweetness of rice vinegar, but ACV will work well too.
• Instead of brown sugar, you could use granulated white, honey, or maple syrup. You can also reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer.
• I don’t feel this sauce needs a thickening agent. However, if you do prefer one, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch when whisking together.
• Secret ingredient—many people claim ketchup is the secret ingredient in stir fry sauce. It gives a boost of flavor. I use it in my easy Pad Thai recipe, it’s good! If you try it, start small and let us know what you think. You may also want to reduce the sugar if you add ketchup as the ketchup will add more sweetness.

Stir Fry Recipe Ideas

Learn how to build the perfect stir fry. We love to use veggies, broccoli, snow peas, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms and carrots in our stir fry. You can also add protein such as shrimp, beef, pork or chicken.

More Stir Fry and Asian Fushion Recipes

• Chow Mein
• Fried Rice
• Hoisin Sauce
• Ponzu Sauce
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Yum Sauce
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Dumpling Sauce
• Spring Roll Sauce
• How to make Fresh Spring Rolls
• Cucumber Salad
• Enoki Mushrooms
• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Shrimp Lo Mein
• Pad Thai
• Pad See Ew
• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Air Fryer Tofu

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Stir Fry Sauce

Course condiment

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword sauce, stir fry sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 31kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

• In a small- to medium-size mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
• Whisk together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Another option is to add all the ingredients to a jar, like a mason jar, with a lid. Then shake well until the sugar has dissolved.
• Now you can pour the stir fry sauce over your stir fry mixture while cooking.

Notes

The serving size I’ve listed is 8. To me, this amount of stir fry sauce is perfect for two separate uses, both meals serving around 4 each time. 

Instead of soy sauce, you could use low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos.

You can substitute vegetable or beef stock for chicken if you prefer.

If you don’t have sesame oil and don’t want to buy it, you can use another cooking oil like olive oil. But, I do think the flavor of the sesame oil adds to this recipe.

If you don’t have rice vinegar and don’t want to buy it, you can use apple cider vinegar. I like the sweetness of rice vinegar, but ACV will work well too.

Instead of brown sugar, you could use granulated white, honey, or maple syrup. You can also reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer.

I don’t feel this sauce needs a thickening agent. However, if you do prefer one, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch when whisking together.

Store any unused sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.5mg

This Chick-fil-A sauce recipe is made from just four simple ingredients. These are things I usually already have in your refrigerator most of the time. The recipe I’m sharing below, to me, tastes exactly like the restaurant version. But when you make it yourself you can customize it to your preferences.

Related: I love this sauce recipe on everything from baked chicken, air fryer wings (as the dipping sauce) to air fryer French fries. It’s great on store-bought air fryer fries, like waffle fries, too! Try our spicy mayo recipe.

Ingredients

• Mayo – I like real mayo but Miracle Whip is fine too
• Mustard – Standard, yellow mustard
• BBQ sauce – Any store-bought brand you like works
• Honey

I will note, if you want this to taste like a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce then you will want to use the most basic (plain) ingredient options. If you use a spicy BBQ sauce, for example, it will not taste as much like the restaurant version.

How to make Chick-fil-A Sauce

In a small- to medium-size mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir until well combined, the sauce will be an orange color.

The amounts listed will make about 1/3 cup of sauce. Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you want to make a larger amount.

Tips & Substitutions

• If you want to add a little heat, use a spicy BBQ sauce or add 1/4 teaspoon or more of cayenne.
• If you want to make a vegan version of this, you can substitute the mayo for Vegenaise (or similar vegan mayo option) and the honey for maple syrup or agave.
• Sometimes I will use dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard as I like the slightly more spicy flavor.

More Sauce & Dressing Recipes

• Honey mustard dressing
• Ranch dressing
• Homemade BBQ sauce
• How to make Mayonnaise
• 3 Easy Spring Roll Sauces
• Alfredo sauce
• Seafood sauce
• Big Mac Sauce

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Chick Fil A Sauce

how to make a copycat version of this beloved sauce

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword sauce

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 239kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ¼ cup mayo
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

• In a small- to medium-size mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients.
• Stir until well combined, the sauce will be an orange color.
• The amounts listed will make about 1/3 cup of sauce. Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you want to make a larger amount.

Notes

If you want this to taste like a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce, then you will want to use the most basic (plain) ingredient options. If you use a spicy BBQ sauce, for example, it will not taste as much like the restaurant version.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Pomodoro sauce is different from marinara sauce in a few ways, but the biggest difference to me is the texture. This sauce is more uniform in texture while marinara tends to be heartier or chunkier.

Related: Vodka Sauce, Alfredo Sauce, Lasagna, Italian Seasoning, Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Parmesan, Homemade Pizza.

Ingredients

• Whole, peeled ripe tomatoes – I love to use fresh tomatoes. You may also use canned tomatoes.
• Butter – Use whatever butter you keep on hand.
• Olive Oil – Such as extra-virgin olive oil.
• Onion – Chopped white onion.
• Garlic – Minced garlic cloves.
• Basil – Fresh basil leaves are a must.
• Salt and Pepper – We use kosher salt and fresh ground black peppercorns.

I like this sauce on pretty much any noodle shape and even gnocchi topped with some Parmesan cheese. You can even learn to make fresh pasta at home.

How to Make Pomodoro Sauce

In a large saucepan or medium to large pot, saute the chopped onions and minced garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. The garlic should be super fragrant and the onion will be softened and beginning to brown.

Transfer this mixture to a blender and add the cans of tomatoes (the entire contents including the juices). Add the basil leaves too. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the sauce back into your saucepan and simmer at medium-low heat for another 20 minutes. This will thicken the sauce as well as deepen the flavor. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over cooked noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.

This will make around 5 cups of sauce, so at our house I can usually use this recipe for two meals, saving the second batch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.

Tips & Additions

• As with any recipe with so few ingredients, the quality of those ingredients matter. If possible, use San Marzano tomatoes.
• Feel free to add more herbs beyond basil if you like, including parsley, thyme or even cilantro.
• I like to add a little red pepper flakes or cayenne to this sauce for heat.
• If you want to use fresh (not canned) tomatoes, you can! Learn how to prepare and peel them in this tomato and orange sauce recipe.
• If you’re looking to add protein, you can add cooked Italian sausage or ground beef to your sauce.

What to serve Pomodoro Sauce with:

I love to serve pasta with a meat and/or vegetable side dish or salad. Here are a few favorites.

• Homemade Pasta
• Air Fryer Meatballs
• Baked Chicken
• Air Fryer Chicken

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Pomodoro Sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword pomodoro sauce, tomato sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 34kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 2 28-ounce cans whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ onion yellow or white
• 5 cloves garlic
• 8-10 basil leaves
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• In a large saucepan or medium to large pot, saute the chopped onions and minced garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Season with a little salt and pepper. The garlic should be super fragrant and the onion will be softened and beginning to brown.
• Transfer this mixture to a blender and add the cans of tomatoes (the entire contents including the juices).
• Add the basil leaves too. Blend until smooth.
• Transfer the sauce back into your saucepan and simmer for another 20 minutes. This will thicken the sauce as well as deepen the flavor.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve over cooked noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

This will make around 5 cups of sauce, so at our house I can usually use this recipe for two meals, saving the second batch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg

I usually serve Alfredo sauce over fettuccine noodles, but it’s great with your favorite pasta as well. I also love this recipe as a pizza sauce!

Related: Homemade tomato sauce, pesto, pizza sauce, vodka sauce or learn to make fresh pasta.

Ingredients

• Butter – Unsalted butter.
• Heavy Cream
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic.
• Italian Seasoning – Use store-bought or make your own.
• Parmesan Cheese – Grated Parmesan cheese.
• Salt & Black Pepper – To taste.

While some like to thicken sauce with cornstarch, I will sometimes add a tablespoon or two of plain Greek yogurt to this recipe. But it’s not necessary, just an option.

Directions

In a saucepan, melt butter and lightly sauté the minced garlic in the butter for 1-2 minutes.

Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream and Italian seasoning. Whisk so everything gets warm and well combined. Simmer on medium heat.

Then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes a sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Storage and Reheating Tips

This sauce is best when made and served immediately. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, add a splash of cream or milk to the leftovers and heat them on the stovetop at low heat.

Serving Suggestions

What goes well with fettuccine Alfredo? Lots of things! Here’s some ideas:

• Baked Chicken
• Air Fryer Chicken
• Broccoli Salad
• Caesar Salad Dressing
• Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
• Poppy Seed Dressing
• Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Other than fettuccine Alfredo, my other favorite use for this homemade Alfredo sauce is as a pizza sauce! I love white sauce pizza, especially topped with lots of vegetables. Make some pasta or pizza this weekend. Do it! xo. Emma

More Sauce Recipes

• Big Mac Sauce
• Honey Mustard Dressing
• Ranch Dressing
• BBQ Sauce
• Mayonnaise
• Seafood Sauce

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Alfredo Sauce

an easy, delicious Alfredo sauce recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword alfredo, alfredo sauce

Servings 2

Calories 710kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• In a saucepan, melt the butter and lightly saute the minced garlic in the butter for 1-2 minutes.
• Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream and Italian seasoning. Stir so everything gets warm and well combined.
• Then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes a sauce.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Notes

If you notice small lumps in the sauce, it likely means your cheese hasn’t fully melted or may need more stirring. Try whisking the sauce to remove any final lumps. 

While some like to thicken sauce with cornstarch, I will sometimes add a tablespoon or two of plain Greek yogurt to this recipe. But it’s not necessary, just an option.

This recipe will make around 1 cup of sauce, which I think works well for two servings of pasta, but you could easily toss 1-2 more servings of pasta in this amount. It just depends how saucy you like your fettuccine Alfredo. 

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 1008mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2429IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 679mg | Iron: 1mg

I love this homemade caramel sauce on all sorts of things, like drizzled over ice cream or on top of a caramel macchiato. No matter if you use this for desserts, drinks or in your next baking project, you will love this easy caramel sauce recipe.

Related: Check our caramel apples post for how to make the best caramel coating for things like apples. This recipe is more of a pourable sauce.

Ingredients

• Granulated white sugar
• Brown sugar
• Water
• Unsalted butter
• Heavy whipping cream

And flaky sea salt if you want salted caramel sauce.

Directions

In a medium pot or sauce pan, combine the sugar, brown sugar and water. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, begins to bubble then turns an amber brown. This may take 5-7 minutes depending on how hot you have your temperature turned to. It’s best just to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too dark or burnt. 

During this process do not stir the mixture. If needed, you can swirl the pan, but avoid stirring as splashing the mixture up the sides of the (cool) pan can cause the sugar to crystalize.

Once it turns that deep amber brown, add in the remaining ingredients. Be careful as you do because the mixture will bubble.

Continue to cook over medium heat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes before storing.

Do I need a candy thermometer?

No, but if you have one, it does help! You can make caramel sauce by visual cues (the deepening amber color) and smell (it will start to smell bitter and burnt when it’s cooked too long).

That being said, if you do already own a candy thermometer, use it! The caramel sauce should reach around 220°F to 230°F (around 110°C). Some candy thermometers have this marked as “soft ball” stage and you want to avoid heating the sugar to “hard ball” stage as this will make a chewy, hard candy as opposed to a pourable sauce.

Why did my caramel sauce turn out grainy?

If your caramel sauce is grainy, your sugar has likely crystalized. This happens if you stir or even swirl the pan too much during cooking, causing the sugar to coat the sides of the pot where it then cools.

To fix this, add a couple tablespoons of water to the sauce and heat to dissolve the crystals.

How to store caramel sauce

This sauce recipe does need to be stored in the refrigerator after it’s made (it contains dairy). You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks or much longer if you choose to freeze it.

Caramel sauce will harden when refrigerated, so it’s best to store in a microwave-safe container so you can easily soften/reheat it. You can also do this on the stovetop if you don’t want to use a microwave.

Why did my caramel sauce harden?

Likely your sugar got too hot, and reached past 240°F or “hard ball” stage. Again, while you don’t absolutely have to use a candy thermometer for this recipe, it can help to avoid heating the sugar too much.

More Caramel Recipes

• How to Make Caramel in a Crock Pot
• Salt Caramel Fondue
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• Caramel Apple Martini
• Salted Butter Caramels
• Caramel Apple Moscow Mule

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Caramel Sauce

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword caramel

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 299kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ¾ cup granulated white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

• In a medium pot or sauce pan, combine the sugar, brown sugar and water.
• Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, begins to bubble then turns an amber brown. This may take 5-7 minutes depending on how hot you have your temperature turned to. It’s best just to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too dark or burnt. 
• During this process do not stir the mixture. If needed, you can swirl the pan, but avoid stirring as splashing the mixture up the sides of the (cool) pan can cause the sugar to crystalize.
• Once it turns that deep amber brown, add in the remaining ingredients. Be careful as you do because the mixture will bubble.
• Continue to cook over medium heat for an additional 3-4 minutes.
• Allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes before storing.

Notes

This sauce recipe does need to be stored in the refrigerator after it’s made (it contains dairy). You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks or much longer if you choose to freeze it.

Caramel sauce will harden when refrigerated, so it’s best to store in a microwave-safe container so you can easily soften/reheat it. You can also do this on the stovetop if you don’t want to use a microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.1mg

This garlic sauce is great on grilled or baked chicken, as a dipping sauce for vegetables and pita, or it can be served with lots of other main courses like steak. If you like garlic, you will LOVE this sauce!

Related: Next up, learn to make Tzatziki , hummus or whipped feta dip.

Ingredients

• Garlic
• Lemon
• Oil – canola, vegetable or safflower
• Salt

While I prefer to use a plain flavored oil in this recipe (like canola or safflower), you could use something with more flavor like olive oil or avocado oil to blend those flavors with the garlic and lemon.

Directions

Peel the garlic. In a food processor, add the garlic, lemon juice and salt. Puree. Add the oil in batches or as the food processor is running (depending if yours allows for this).

Use a rubber spatula to whip down the sides as needed, so all the garlic gets well blended. The mixture sort of resembles the consistency of mashed potatoes.

You can use this garlic sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor will deepen the longer you store this sauce.

How to peel garlic

I’ve found the best way to peel garlic cloves is to place them on a cutting board, a few at a time. Then turn your knife sideways, so it’s flat, over the garlic. Lightly smash the top of the knife with your fist, smashing the cloves a little. Then peel the papery outside away.

You can sometimes find garlic cloves already peeled in bags at some grocery stores, which is convenient but usually a bit more expensive.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

• Alfredo sauce
• Pomodoro sauce
• Vodka sauce
• Pesto
• Pizza sauce
• Chimichurri
• Mole sauce

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Garlic Sauce

A classic Lebanese sauce sometimes called Toum.

Course condiment

Cuisine Lebanese

Keyword sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 275kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

• Food processor

Ingredients

• 1 cup garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup canola oil

Instructions

• Peel the garlic.
• In a food processor, add the garlic, lemon juice and salt. Puree.
• Add the oil in batches or as the food processor is running (depending if yours allows for this).
• Use a rubber spatula to whip down the sides as needed, so all the garlic gets well blended. The mixture sort of resembles the consistency of mashed potatoes.
• You can use this garlic sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor will deepen the longer you store this sauce.

Notes

I’ve found the best way to peel garlic cloves is to place them on a cutting board, a few at a time. Then turn your knife sideways, so it’s flat, over the garlic. Lightly smash the top of the knife with your fist, smashing the cloves a little. Then peel the papery outside away.

While I prefer to use a plain flavored oil in this recipe (like canola or safflower), you could use something with more flavor like olive oil or avocado oil to blend those flavors with the garlic and lemon.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.3mg

One great thing about making your own Big Mac Sauce is you can customize it to your liking or keep it classic. I like to include sweet relish, while pickle relish will yield a sauce more like the fast food chain. And you could even make this a little spicy by adding some cayenne or hot sauce to the mix.

Related: Next up, learn to make your own Chick-fil-A sauce or BBQ sauce.

Ingredients

• Mayo
• Relish – pickle relish or sweet relish
• Vinegar
• Mustard
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika

While I tend to use sweet relish in this recipe, using pickle relish will make this Big Mac Sauce more of a McDonald’s copycat recipe.

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper or anything else you feel it needs.

You can use this sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.

Tips and Substitutions

• Swap the mayo or Miracle Whip to lighten this recipe. Or you can use a vegan mayo, like Veganaise, to make this vegan friendly.
• Use dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard to update the flavor and fancy this sauce recipe up a bit.
• You can use apple cider vinegar to add a little more flavor.
• If you want to add some heat, try adding 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to this Big Mac Sauce or a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

• Enchilada sauce
• Buffalo sauce
• Cheese sauce
• Pizza sauce
• Cocktail sauce
• Mole sauce
• Chipotle sauce
• Sweet chili sauce
• Ponzu
• Dumpling sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Stir fry sauce
• Hoisin sauce

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Big Mac Sauce

A creamy, flavorful McDonald's copycat recipe.

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 194kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ½ cup mayo
• 2 teaspoons pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
• Stir until combined.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper or anything else you feel it needs.
• You can use this sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.

Notes

While I tend to use sweet relish in this recipe, using pickle relish will make this Big Mac Sauce more of a McDonald’s copycat recipe.

Swap the mayo or Miracle Whip to lighten this recipe. Or you can use a vegan mayo, like Veganaise, to make this vegan friendly.

Use dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard to update the flavor and fancy this sauce recipe up a bit. 

You can use apple cider vinegar to add a little more flavor.

If you want to add some heat, try adding 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to this Big Mac Sauce or a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

A key ingredient in this sauce is soy sauce. If you can’t have soy or need a lower sodium alternative, try coconut aminos or tamari instead.

Related: Next up, learn to make your own Ponzu Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce or Yum Sauce.

Ingredients

• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Chili garlic sauce
• Sesame oil
• Rice vinegar

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves. Taste and add anything you feel the sauce needs.

You could also add some sesame seeds and chopped chives for additional texture or flavor.

Use this sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.

Tips and Substitutions

• If you need a substitution for the soy sauce (to avoid gluten or for a lower sodium option), try coconut aminos, low-sodium soy sauce, or tamari.
• If you want more heat, use more chili garlic sauce, add a little sriracha or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
• You can substitute the brown sugar for granulated white sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

• Stir Fry Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Cashew Chicken Sauce
• Orange Chicken Sauce
• Spicy Mayo

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Dumpling Sauce

Easy homemade dumpling dipping sauce made with just five ingredients

Course condiment

Cuisine Asian

Keyword sauce

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 53kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar

Instructions

• In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
• Stir until the sugar fully dissolves.
• Taste and add anything you feel the sauce needs.
• You could also add some sesame seeds and chopped chives for additional texture or flavor.
• Use this sauce right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.

Notes

If you need a substitution for the soy sauce (to avoid gluten or for a lower sodium option), try coconut aminos, low-sodium soy sauce, or tamari.

If you want more heat, use more chili garlic sauce, add a little sriracha or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.

You can substitute the brown sugar for granulated white sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

Nutrition

Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1744mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg