Luscious Sauces to Make You Want to Eat Your Veggies

August 27, 2019
Sauces are one of our favorite ways to eat more healthy foods like vegetables and lean protein. Gone are the days of dry chicken breasts and fish filets with steamed vegetables. Spice it! Add a delicious sauce and it can make the meal drool-worthy. Find recipes for easy-to-make sauces like pesto, chimichurri and romesco that take grilled, roasted and sautéed veggies from boring to otherworldly, as well as recipes to cook with—like stir-fry and barbecue sauces.
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Avocado Pesto

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Avocados add a silky consistency and cheese-like richness to this dairy-free pesto recipe. Toss it with pasta, spread it on baguette slices to make bruschetta, or use it for a healthy mayo substitute on your sandwich.

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Homemade Hot Sauce

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This homemade hot sauce makes good use of the bountiful tomatoes, onions and peppers in your garden or farmers' market. Adjust the heat to your preference: in our tests, two habaneros yielded a pleasantly spicy sauce without excessive heat--take it up a notch for spicy-food fans by adding extra hot peppers.

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Spanish Red Pepper Romesco Sauce

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One bite of this red pepper-and-nut romesco sauce recipe, and you'll be wondering where it's been all your life. Use the romesco sauce as a dip for vegetables or a spread for bread, stir it into soups or dollop it on just about any poached or grilled meat.

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Mojo Stir-Fry Sauce

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Take a trip to the Caribbean with this quick and healthy homemade stir-fry sauce recipe. Use it for stir-fries or as a marinade for chicken, beef or pork.

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Basic Herb Pesto

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Use any herbs you have on hand (or surplus herbs growing in your garden) in this easy and flavorful pesto recipe. While pestos made from single herbs can be wonderful all on their own, it is also fun to play around with combinations of two or more. Some of our favorites are tarragon, chervil and parsley or mint and cilantro.

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Chimichurri

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This garlicky parsley-based sauce is great alongside any grilled meat or poultry.

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Vidalia Onion BBQ Sauce

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Use this sweet and tangy healthy BBQ sauce recipe to make pulled pork or slather it on chicken or even on a burger instead of plain old ketchup.

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Tahini Sauce with Lemon & Garlic

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Tahini, which is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, makes sauces and dressings super creamy without any dairy or mayonnaise. Use it as a salad dressing, a spread on sandwiches, or a sauce for falafel (see associated recipe, below).

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Vegan Pesto

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Nutritional yeast gives this vegan pesto a cheesy flavor, while cashews make it creamy. For a nuttier flavor, use dry-roasted cashews or toast them yourself in the oven before processing. Smear this simple spread on sandwiches, toss with warm pasta, or use it as dip for crudités.

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Gochujang Stir-Fry Sauce

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Get Korean street-food flavor with this quick and healthy homemade stir-fry sauce. Use it for stir-fries, as a marinade for chicken, beef or pork or for tossing with Asian noodles.

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Belizean Habanero Hot Sauce

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This bright orange hot sauce recipe is perfect for spicing up eggs, soups and seafood. To cut the heat, use a little more carrot or fewer habanero peppers. Scotch bonnet peppers can be substituted.

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Arugula Pesto

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This pesto is a great way to use fresh, flavorful spring arugula. Try tossing it with pasta, spread it on pizza instead of tomato sauce or use it as the base for a vegetable dip.

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Spicy Hot Red Barbecue Sauce

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This homemade barbecue sauce is made with chile peppers for a spicy kick.

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Garlic Scape Pesto

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During the spring and early summer when garlic scapes are plentiful at farmers' markets and farmstands, this healthy garlic scape pesto recipe is a great way to enjoy their gorgeous garlicky flavor for weeks. Garlic scapes are the green, spiral-shaped sprouts that appear on the top of garlic plants in the spring. Regular garlic cloves can be used as a substitute for garlic scapes. Try the pesto with pasta, stir-fries, grilled fish, poultry or steaks or add it to scrambled eggs, soup or pasta sauces.

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Chile Pesto

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A cross between an enchilada sauce and mole, this pesto pairs well with grilled meat or vegetables.

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Maple Barbecue Sauce

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A splash of Southern Comfort gives a kick to this easy sauce. Chef Doug Mack's recipe is also great with chicken or pork.

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Classic Basil Pesto

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Turn the bounty of summer basil into a delicious sauce with this easy pesto recipe. Try it stirred into a tomato or potato salad, or spread onto a sandwich in place of your favorite condiment.

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Pesto Trapanese (Tomato & Almond Pesto)

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In a twist on classic pesto, this healthy recipe uses less oil than a traditional basil pesto, includes tomatoes and subs almonds for pine nuts. Try it tossed with whole-wheat pasta or slathered over grilled chicken or fish.

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