Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Jen Wooster

We have the secret sauce! These homemade healthy sauces are easy to make and add a zip of flavor to your favorite recipes. Most of these healthy sauce recipes are ready in less than 10 minutes and many require no cooking! How amazing (and delicious) is that?

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (1)

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Making food at home from scratch can be time-consuming. This is why we specifically chose these recipes. They are easy to make and I have tested each one personally. Whether it is on my own recipe or from another blogger who I trust to make flavorful recipes, these healthy sauces won't disappoint.

Jump to:
  • What Makes a Good Sauce Recipe
  • What Makes a Sauce Healthy
  • Healthy Dressings
  • Healthy Pasta Sauces
  • Spicy Sauces
  • Healthy Dipping Sauces
  • Healthy Sauces for Meats and Veggies
  • Sweet and Savory Sauces
  • 🌡️Storing Homemade Sauces
  • ⭐Reviews

What Makes a Good Sauce Recipe

A good sauce recipe typically includes minimal ingredients but each one serves a specific purpose. They may be adding flavor, acid, healthy fats, or texture. Keeping ingredients in balance is key.

A good sauce may only fresh ingredients and others only use pantry staples, meaning you always have options when maintaining a healthy diet.

Good sauces should be versatile. From how you serve it or the dish you pair it with. Or even doing double duty as a dip and a salad dressing, like our gluten-free peanut sauce.

What Makes a Sauce Healthy

The benefits of making sauces at home include controlling the quality of the ingredients, ensuring they are nutritious, and tweaking the flavor to get it just right.

Many store-bought sauces contain extra sugar and salt to add flavor, make them shelf stable, and cover poor-quality ingredients.

Higher quality more flavorful ingredients often result in using less sauce overall so adding a decadent ingredient here or there is no problem!

By making homemade healthy sauce recipes yourself we can control the ingredients to ensure they meet our own personal dietary requirements and preferences.

Our list of healthy sauces is all naturally gluten-free and many are dairy-free, sugar-free, paleo, or vegan.

Other ingredients that make these sauces healthy include:

  • Extra fruits and vegetables
  • Healthy fats including healthy oils, Greek yogurt, seeds, and nuts
  • Citrus fruits and vinegar to add acid
  • Fresh herbs, dried spices, and aromatics for flavor

Healthy Dressings

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (2)

My most popular salad recipe is my shaved brussel sprout salad with pomegranates. The sugar-free poppy seed dressing became so popular I had to give it its own post. Here are a few more dressing recipes to try!

Healthy Cesar Salad Dressing

This Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe is a classic creamy dressing made with simple, fresh ingredients that can be whipped together in under 5 minutes.

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Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (3)

Poppy Seed Dressing (Sugar Free)

A naturally sweetened poppy seed vinaigrette is perfect for your next salad!

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Miso Carrot Ginger Dressing

This carrot ginger dressing is perfect for salads, topping grilled chicken, or vegetables.

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Cilantro and Olive Vinaigrette

A tangy dressing perfect for salads, roasted veggies or grilled chicken.

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Healthy Pasta Sauces

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (7)

From red tomatoes sauces to bright green pestos. These sauces are perfect for pasta and pizzas. Or just to dip your bread into!

San Marzano Tomato Sauce Recipe

This San Marzano tomato sauce is a simple and authentic Italian pasta sauce with a naturally sweet flavor. Perfect serving over your favorite pasta, on pizza, or as a dipping sauce.

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Ramp Pesto

This wild ramp pesto recipe is made with both the ramp bulbs and the ramp greens for a bold sauce that is perfect on pasta, bread, and veggies. Ramp pesto is a delicious way to use up your Spring harvest.

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Easy No Sugar Pizza Sauce

Get the great flavor of pizzeria sauce without any added sugar with this easy no sugar pizza sauce recipe. It just takes minutes to whip together!

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Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (10)

Dairy-Free Pesto

Easy and quick dairy-free pesto recipe is just as flavorful as traditional basil pesto but without the parmesan cheese. This delicious pesto is perfect for fresh pasta, grilled vegetables, sandwiches and more!

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Spicy Sauces

Sometimes a firey kick is just what you need to elevate your recipe. These sauces and dips are big on flavor and heat. But if heat is what you like be sure to check out our roasted salmon with spicy pineapple salsa and our harissa beef and noodles. Both will give you a good kick.

Mango Habanero Salsa

Fresh mango salsa with a spicy kick. Mangos and habanero peppers collide for a sweet and spicy salsa that is perfect for dipping or serving on tacos. You won't be to stop at just one bite!

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Cucumber Chutney

A simple green cucumber chutney with a spicy kick. Use as a topping or a slaw, but beware- it is HOT! But if that is your thing, a 100% 5 star rating doesn't lie.

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Salsa with Canned Tomatoes

A blender salsa recipe using canned roasted tomatoes, charred onions, and jalapeno peppers.

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Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Make homemade enchilada sauce in10 minutes using pantry staples that you probablyhave in your kitchen this very second. Even better than a store-bought version, this homemade sauce is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and can be totally customized to your spice and flavor preferences.

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Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (15)

Avocado Crema

Avocado crema combines lime, fresh avocados, and sour cream for a tangy sauce. This recipe can be made with or without cilantro.

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Harissa Paste

An authentic harissa paste recipe made from dried peppers and aromatics such as caraway, cumin, and coriander. This North African condiment will add depth and smokey flavors to any dish.

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Healthy Dipping Sauces

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (18)

Our favorite shawarma-style crispy chicken wings come with a tangy coriander sauce. I use this cool dipping sauce on for so much more.

Gluten- Free Peanut Sauce

Creamy Thai peanut sauce made gluten-free. Perfect for grilled chicken, fish or steamed vegetables. It also includes a peanut-free Paleo option!

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Gyoza Sauce

A simple dipping sauce that is perfect for any type of Chinese dumpling, potstickers, or gyoza. The dumpling sauce recipe only has a few ingredients and gets better as it sits. The flavors meld together and you can try it on new things. My personal favorite is dipping steamed broccoli into it!

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Paleo Raising Cane's Dipping Sauce Recipe

Paleo Raising Cane's Chicken Dipping Sauce is the paleo dipping sauce we have been waiting for. It is peppery, tangy, and so, so good. It tastes just like the real deal Raising Cane's Sauce and is an addicting dipping sauce for fries, chicken, chips, burgers, and more.

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Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (21)

Easy Kalamata Olive Tapenade

A briny olive spread with kalamata olives perfect for slathering on bread, dipping veggies or crackers, or use as topping grilled fish.

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Cashew Cream Cheese with Roasted Garlic and Herbs

Spreadable roasted garlic vegan cream cheese made from cashews. Seasoned with herbs we love this as a dairy-free dip for veggies. Thick creamy, and easy to make in a blender or food processor. This dip is vegan and gluten-free.

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Four-Ingredient Avocado Sauce (Vegan)

Tangy, tasty and simple to make. Use as a spread, sauce or dip! This is a vegan and dairy-free version of our avocado crema recipe. It only has 4 ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes!

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Healthy Sauces for Meats and Veggies

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (25)

My seared bavette steak recipe is served with a balsamic sauce that I also use on chicken. And the sweet and sour dipping sauce on our grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork is also worth trying.

Plus try some of these other sauces that are perfect for topping meats and fish.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a tangy sauce made with a mixture of fresh minced parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, oregano, and olive oil.Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

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Easy Romesco Sauce

No cooking required for this Spanish red pepper sauce. This easy romesco sauce features roasted peppers, tomatoes, and almonds. Perfect for grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables. Serve hot or cold.

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Sweet and Savory Sauces

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (28)

If you are ready to expand your palate, these sauces balance sweet elements with savory ones for the perfectblance. We recently used the chamoy sauce recipe on our homemade mango and chili popsicles.

Chamoy Sauce

This easy homemade chamoy sauce recipe comes together in minutes. Chamoy delicious condiment that balances sweet, salty, and sour.

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Sweet and Smoky Whole30 Barbecue Sauce

Another highly rated recipe that is also sugar free. A sweet and smoky healthy BBQ sauce is amazing and easy to make. Never buy storebought BBQ sauce again!

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Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (30)

Refreshing Pineapple Relish

A quick and easy pineapple relish with cucumbers and fresh herbs.

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Strawberry Butter Fruit Spread

A simple sugar free fruit butter spread. Only four ingredients using your own favorite berry combination.

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Fermented Garlic Honey

Take your food to the next level with this fermented honey garlic recipe. Or make this garlic-infused honey during flu season and enjoy a spoonful for its immune-boosting properties.

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🌡️Storing Homemade Sauces

Most sauces last at least 3 to 5 days when properly stored. However some last longer with fermentation of canning. And a few of these recipes can even be frozen.

Please see the individual recipes for specifics.

Did You Enjoy Making This Recipe? Please rate this recipe with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with my food.

Next Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Join the Discussion

  1. coral l fisher says

    where are the amounts? like how much olive oil? where is the recipe???

    Reply

    • Jen says

      This is a round up post. Please visit the page for the sauce you want to make. Thanks.

      Reply

  2. GiveItAWhirlGirl says

    Ooooo I want to try that peanut sauce out! YES and YUM to that!

    Reply

  3. W Gunning says

    What great food and great photos, Look forward to making these recipes.

    Reply

    • Jen says

      The Romesco is my favorite 🙂

      Reply

Easy Healthy Sauce Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What sauce is best for diet? ›

6 Low Calorie Sauces to Add Your Foods
  • Mustard. 6 calories per serving. ...
  • Greek Yogurt. 10 calories per serving. ...
  • Hot sauce. 6 calories per serving. ...
  • Salsa. 10 calories per serving. ...
  • Low-sugar Ketchup. 5 calories per serving. ...
  • Sriracha. 5 calories per serving. ...
  • The Bottom Line. ...
  • References.

What makes a sauce healthy? ›

A reduced-salt and reduced-sugar version is a healthier choice, containing around 2.3g of sugar and 0.1g of salt per tablespoon. Watch our animation explaining why too much salt is bad for you. Take our quiz - How much sugar, salt and fat are in your sauces?

How do you make a good sauce? ›

Start with a Flavor Base

Begin by sautéing or sweating (gently cooking in fat) an aromatic flavor base of vegetables (shallot and garlic, mirepoix, or soffritto) in butter, olive oil, or another type of fat. This releases their flavors and infuses them into the sauce as it cooks.

What are 5 basic sauces? ›

The five mother sauces are hollandaise, tomato (sauce tomat), bechamel, Espagnole, and veloute. French chef Auguste Escoffier identified the five mother sauces, forever associating them with French cuisine. However, mother sauces are relevant in all modern cooking practices.

What are the 3 main sauces? ›

Sauces come in many forms and are made in many ways – gravy, salsa, fruit coulis, pan sauces. All of these fall into the broad category of sauces. There are three sauces we make VERY frequently when catering and running events: Veloute, Bechamel, and Hollandaise.

What is the healthiest sauce in the world? ›

What is the healthiest condiment?
  • Guacamole.
  • Mustard.
  • Balsamic Vinegar.
  • Salsa.
  • Hot sauce.
  • Tzatziki.
  • Hummus.
  • Pesto.
Mar 17, 2024

Is mayonnaise good or bad for health? ›

Consuming mayonnaise in excess can increase the risk of heart disease. About 1.6 grams of saturated fat is found in one tablespoon of mayonnaise. In this case, if you eat more mayonnaise, it can increase cholesterol. High cholesterol in the body increases the risk of heart disease.

Is homemade sauce healthier? ›

Homemade Sauces are Cheaper and Healthier

Store-bought brands — even natural and organic food brands — often contain refined sugars, sodium, ultrarefined oils, additives, or all of the above.

Is mayonnaise a healthy sauce? ›

Is Mayonnaise Healthy? Mayonnaise's nutritional profile is a mix of both healthy and not-so-healthy aspects. While it contains healthy fats from oil and essential nutrients from egg yolks, it can also be high in calories and saturated fats. Moderation is key when consuming mayonnaise to avoid negative health impacts.

Is it OK to eat sauce everyday? ›

While hot sauce offers several health perks, overindulgence can lead to adverse effects. Excessive consumption may irritate the digestive tract, causing discomfort, heartburn, or even gastritis in sensitive individuals. Additionally, some people may experience allergic reactions to certain ingredients in hot sauce.

What is the most basic sauce? ›

Béchamel sauce is probably the simplest of the mother sauces because it doesn't require making stock. If you have milk, flour, and butter you can make a very basic béchamel. Béchamel is made by thickening hot milk with a simple white roux.

What are the 3 sauce making methods? ›

The methods for preparing a small sauce from a mother sauce include the sauté and deglaze method, the reduction method, and the gastrique method.

What are the six mother sauces? ›

Sauces considered mother sauces. In order (left to right, top to bottom): béchamel, espagnole, tomato, velouté, hollandaise, and mayonnaise.

What sauces are 0 calories? ›

Many hot sauces on the supermarket shelves contain zero calories. Texas Pete Red Hot Sauce, Taco Bell Hot Sauce and Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce all contain zero calories.

What are healthy sauces for sandwiches? ›

What are some healthy dressings or sauces to put on a sandwich? Mustard, horseradish, ajvar (a spread made from eggplant and pepper), hot sauce and sauerkraut are all excellent choices. They are all made from vegetables and/or seeds and are relatively low in salt.

What is a healthy substitute for pasta sauce? ›

Carrot and Beet Sauce

Similar to marinara but with a different flavor, carrots, and beets offer a ton of nutrition and can be supplemented in many dishes that use tomato sauce. Try sauteeing the vegetables with onion, garlic, and olive oil, then blend to desired texture. Add seasonings to taste.

References

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