When you crave a hearty, veggie-packed marinara, this rustic vegetable tomato sauce is your answer. Imagine the rich, smoky flavors of eggplant, mushrooms, and carrots simmering together in a vibrant tomato base. It’s a sauce that brings the comfort of home-cooked meals with every bite.

Picture this: a pot of chunky, aromatic sauce bubbling gently on the stove. The eggplants and mushrooms, seared to perfection, release a depth of flavor that transforms simple tomatoes into something extraordinary. This isn’t just a sauce; it’s an invitation to savor the beauty of fresh, wholesome ingredients melded together.

I whipped up a batch for a veggie lasagna, and with the leftovers, I tossed it with some bowties and a quick zucchini fry-up. Each meal felt like a little celebration of flavor, perfect for any Meatless Monday or a cozy weeknight dinner. Simple, honest, and utterly delicious – this sauce is your new kitchen staple.

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 small eggplants (I used Japanese eggplants), diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, diced or sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• salt to taste

How to make Rustic Vegetable Tomato Sauce

1. Heat up the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat. When hot, add all of the vegetables and cook, stirring only occasionally, until quite brown and seared, 8-10 minutes.
2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and sugar. Add the basil and simmer, on low, for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Enjoy with pasta, on rice, or any other way you like marinara!

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Helpful Hints:

• For an extra depth of flavor, try roasting the vegetables before adding them to the sauce.
• This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
• If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend it with an immersion blender until you reach your desired consistency.

A classic Vietnamese sweet, sour, and salty dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic, and chilis. Liquid gold! Super easy to make and delicious with grilled meat, rice, noodles, rolls, and more!

When it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, one staple sauce reigns supreme: Nước Chấm. This bright, tangy, and perfectly balanced sauce is a culinary gem, elevating everything it touches with its sweet, sour, and savory notes. It’s the kind of sauce that makes a dish unforgettable.

Nước Chấm is a versatile dipping sauce that complements a wide range of dishes. From fresh spring rolls and grilled meats to noodle bowls and fried rice, this sauce adds a burst of flavor that transforms simple ingredients into a symphony of taste. Made with just a few basic ingredients – fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic, and chilis – it’s a testament to the power of simplicity in cooking.

Making Nước Chấm is an art form passed down through generations, each family with its unique twist. This particular recipe, inspired by my mother-in-law’s version, strikes a harmonious balance of flavors, creating a sauce that’s both fragrant and addictive.

What is Nước Chấm?

Nước Chấm is a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chilis. It’s known for its complex flavor profile that balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy elements.

Ingredients

• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 red bird’s eye chili
• 3-4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups of water
• Juice of 1/2 lime (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup fish sauce

How to make Fish Dipping Sauce: Nuoc Cham

1. Crush Aromatics: In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic, chili, and sugar together until the garlic and chili are broken down into tiny pieces and the sugar becomes fragrant. Alternatively, mince the garlic and slice the chilis finely and stir into the sugar.
2. Dissolve and Mix: Transfer the sugar, garlic, and chili mixture to a bowl. Add the water and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Squeeze in the lime juice and mix well.
3. Add Fish Sauce: Stir in the fish sauce gradually, tasting as you go until you achieve a perfect light amber color and balanced flavor.
4. Rest and Serve: For best results, let the sauce sit in the fridge for a day to allow the flavors to meld. However, it can be used immediately if needed.

Helpful Hints

• Adjust to Taste: Feel free to adjust the proportions of sugar, lime, and fish sauce to suit your taste preferences. This recipe leans towards the sweeter side, but you can easily tweak it to make it more tangy or savory.
• Consistency: If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of water used.
• Storage: Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to a week.

In New Mexico, they ask, “red, green, or Christmas?” It’s a choice between red chile, green chile, or both. This green chile sauce, smoky and savory, is a beloved staple, perfect for smothering your favorite dishes. Imagine a sauce that’s rich with the flavor of roasted chiles, blended with onions and garlic, simmered to perfection. It’s not just a sauce; it’s a taste of New Mexican tradition.

Green chile sauce is more than a condiment—it’s a versatile ingredient that adds a burst of flavor to everything it touches. Whether it’s draped over enchiladas, spooned onto burgers, or mixed into chilaquiles, this sauce brings a smoky, slightly spicy kick that elevates any dish.

Making green chile sauce at home is simple and rewarding. The process of roasting the chiles, peeling them, and simmering them with aromatics fills your kitchen with a tantalizing aroma. The result is a thick, glossy sauce that you’ll want to pour over everything. Once you make it, you’ll understand why it’s a cornerstone of New Mexican cuisine.

What is Green Chile Sauce?

Green chile sauce is a rich, flavorful sauce made from roasted green chile peppers, onions, garlic, and chicken stock. It’s a staple in New Mexican cooking, known for its smoky, slightly spicy flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups green chile, roasted and chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock (low sodium recommended)

Hot to make Smoky and Savory Green Chile Sauce

1. Roast the Chiles: Start by roasting your green chiles until they are blistered and charred. Place them in a heatproof container to sweat, then peel off the skins. Remove the stems and seeds, then chop the chiles.
2. Sauté Aromatics: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until they are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add Flour and Chiles: Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped chiles and mix well.
4. Simmer: Gradually add the chicken stock while stirring. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve: Use the sauce to smother enchiladas, burgers, or any dish that could use a smoky, savory kick.

Helpful Hints

• Roasting Tips: Roast your chiles until the skins are thoroughly blistered. This enhances the smoky flavor and makes peeling easier.
• Storage: Green chile sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
• Versatility: This sauce pairs well with a variety of dishes, from enchiladas to burgers, adding a unique flavor profile.

Sour cream sauce adds delicious tart creaminess to chicken, fish, potatoes, and more. This sauce is a quick, simple, and delightful addition to any meal.

Imagine the tangy, creamy richness of sour cream, enhanced with just the right touch of garlic and onion. It’s the kind of sauce that elevates your dishes, adding depth and flavor. Drizzle it over tacos, dip your nachos, or spoon it onto baked potatoes. It’s a versatile, no-fuss solution for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp milk of choice, whole milk preferred
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

How to make Creamy Sour Cream Sauce

1. In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, milk, onion powder, and garlic powder.
2. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
3. If you need your sauce to be looser, stir in more milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the desired consistency.

Notes

• Sauce will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 week.

Helpful Hints

• If you want a bit of extra tanginess, add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.
• Thinly sliced green onions or chives can add a classic sour cream and onion flavor.
• Use as a topping for paprika chicken, wings, salmon, steak, tacos, chili, tostadas, baked potatoes, beef tenderloin, chilaquiles, lasagna soup, enchiladas, tortilla soup, and even pasta.

Tangy Orange Glaze is a delightful blend of sweet, tangy, and irresistible flavors. Made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic, this sauce is a versatile addition to any kitchen. You’ll want to drizzle or dip everything in it. Trust me when I say that Tangy Orange Glaze is a game-changer. Its sweet-tanginess pairs perfectly with chicken, beef, pork, fish, and vegetables. Heck, it even tastes good on its own.

What is Tangy Orange Glaze?

Tangy Orange Glaze is a thick and glossy sauce typically used in American Chinese cuisine to coat bite-sized pieces of crispy chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or vegetables.

What does it taste like?

It’s sweet and tangy, with a shiny, orange hue. It resembles sweet and sour sauce but with a more pronounced orange flavor. If you’ve ever had Panda Express orange chicken, you know just how delicious this sauce is.

What is Tangy Orange Glaze made of?

The glaze is made from fresh orange juice and simple pantry ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger powder, and cornstarch.

How to make Tangy Orange Glaze

Forget buying bottled sauce at the store; making this glaze at home is incredibly easy. All you need to do is:

1. Add orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger powder to a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer, whisking occasionally, over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. While the sugar dissolves, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and bring everything up to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce heats, bubbles, thickens, and turns glossy.

That’s it! Remove the pan from the heat, and you’re ready to glaze your favorite protein.

Ingredients

• 1 large orange, zest and juice (about 1/2 cup juice)
• 1/4 cup sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

How to make a Tangy Orange Glaze

1. Add the orange juice, zest, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and ginger powder to a small saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce starts to bubble.
2. Whisk the tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp water, then whisk it into the sauce. Bring the sauce up to medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it starts to bubble, thicken, and turn glossy.
3. Remove from the heat and enjoy immediately on your desired dish.

Helpful Hints

For super easy orange chicken, grab a bag of frozen nuggets from the store, bake or air fry them, and toss them in this sauce. OR, simply cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper, toss in cornstarch, and pan-fry in hot oil until crispy and cooked through. Toss in the sauce, and boom: orange chicken.