It Only Takes A Taste
Never underestimate the power of a sauce. A good sauce can take a good meal to the next level, while a bad sauce can ruin an otherwise stellar meal. While store-bought is fine for some sauces, there are a few that really benefit from a homemade touch.
1. Aioli
One of the backbones of northwest Mediterranean cuisine, aioli is a simple yet potent mixture of olive oil and garlic. Maybe it's the Provençal name, or the fact that spicy aioli had a huge moment a few years ago, but being able to make this sauce at home will certainly wow guests. And no, it's not the same as mayonnaise.
2. Tartar Sauce
Tartar sauce is a must-have with fish and chips, no matter which side of the pond you reside on. Creamy and herbaceous with a bit of tang, seafood simply tastes better when paired with tartar sauce. Fun fact: tartar sauce goes all the way back to the 1820s!
3. Fry Sauce
One part ketchup, two parts mayonnaise, all parts delicious. Fry sauce is integral to enjoying a big plate of fries, no matter the shape or seasoning. Besides, it's so easy to make that you truly have no excuse for not making it at home.
4. Ranch
Yes, we're including America's favorite artery-clogging salad dressing on our list of sauces. While there's no shortage of store-bought ranch to be found, you can whip up a batch in five minutes. Not only will you save money, but it will likely be better for you!
Whitney from Chicago, IL on Wikimedia
5. Chimichurri
This Argentine sauce is all the rage as of late, and for a good reason. Chimichurri is a fresh green sauce that brightens up any meal, but especially a prime cut of beef. Since the beauty of chimicurri lays of the freshness of the herbs, it's almost antithetical to opt for a shelf-stable substitute.
6. Romesco
Romesco is a Catalonian sauce meant to be eaten with fish. The mixture of nuts, tomatoes, pepper, and garlic is frequently confused for similar sauces but never duplicated. Smoky and earthy, Romesco adds an immediate zing to anything it touches.
Laia from Reus, Catalonia on Wikimedia
7. Béchamel
The sauce of kings—literally, it was named after Louis XIV's chief steward—béchamel sauce is a cornerstone of French cooking. Béchamel is the glue that holds such beloved dishes as lasagne and moussaka together. Making a roux is deceptively simple; once you have that down, all you do is add milk and nutmeg.
8. Béarnaise
Another iconic French sauce, béarnaise is similar to hollandaise sauce (which, spoiler, we will see later on) but not quite. Instead of using white pepper and cayenne, béarnsaise uses shallot, black pepper, and tarragon. One taste of this sauce and you'll understand why it's a steak's best friend.
9. Brown Butter Sauce
Like chimicurri, we're having a bit of a brown butter moment in all walks of cooking. As we move into the colder months, brown butter sauce is an essential for cozy dinner parties. This rich, nutty sauce is the perfect accompaniment to winter vegetables and roast chicken.
10. Rémoulade
Another cold, mayonnaise-based sauce, rémoulade is a sauce that goes well with everything. The French serve it with red meet, the Belgians with their beloved French fries. In American cuisine, rémoulade accompanies soft-shell crab, sandwiches, and everything in between.
11. Marsala
If you've never tried marsala sauce, you're in for a treat. Made with fortified wine, cream, and mushrooms, marsala sauce is so rich it could be used as currency. Traditionally served with chicken or veal, we wouldn't blame you if you drank this sauce right out of the bowl.
12. Wine Sauce
Wine sauce has as many definitions as there are wines, but, in this case, we're going to stick with the classic. White wine, butter, and a ton of aromatics. If you're looking to treat your partner to a fancy home-cooked meal, white wine sauce over seafood pasta always hits the spot.
13. Mint Sauce
Did you even have roast lamb if you didn't accompany it with mint sauce? Mint sauce has been the go-to condiment for roast lamb since as far back as Ancient Rome. The vinegary sweetness of the sauce goes absolutely perfectly with meat so succulent it falls off the bone.
Eric Chan from Hollywood, United States on Wikimedia
14. XO Sauce
Developed in 1980s Hong Kong, XO sauce is a spicy seafood sauce loaded with umami flavor. While the blend of dried seafood, Jinhua ham, chili and aromatics might not sound like it works, but we promise you it does. Fun fact: the name refers to extra-old cognac, despite there being none in the sauce!
15. Berry Coulis
Sauces can lean sweet as well as savory, case in point being this classic dessert sauce. At its simplest, berry coulis is just berries that have been mashed through a strainer; simple, yet effective. You'll be amazed by how easy it is to dress up a basic dessert with some help from berry coulis.
MBC Foods from Australia on Wikimedia
16. Chicken Jus
Never, ever throw away the bones from a roasted chicken—at least not until you've used them to make chicken jus. Chicken jus is liquid gold, silky smooth and utterly delectable. This is one of the more labor-intensive sauces on this list, but we promise it's worth it.
Jazz Guy from New Jersey, United States on Wikimedia
17. Pesto
Pesto is another green sauce that's absolutely everywhere recently, and one that you can save a lot of money by making at home. While pine nuts are a little pricey, we promise that the taste of fresh pesto is out of this world. You can even grow your own basil!
18. Hollandaise
Mastering emulsions can be time-consuming, but it will make everything you cook taste a million times better. Hollandaise sauce is no exception. There's a reason why this mixture of egg yolk, butter, and lemon juice is paired with eggs Benedict—one of the most expensive things on a brunch menu.
19. Tahini
Tahini is one of those dishes that blurs the line between sauce and condiment. However, given its popularity and versatility, we think it's definitely earned its spot on this list. Tahini can be used in dips, dressing, or dessert; it can be sweet or savory, the rest depends on you.
20. Bordelaise
We included a white wine sauce earlier, so it's only fair to give red wine its turn. Bordelaise is one of the richest sauces France has to offer, combining Bordeaux red wine, bone marrow, and butter with a sauce demi-glace. Buy two bottles so you can sip while you cook; we won't tell anyone.
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