Sauce and Marinade Recipes & Ideas

Freeze it now, enjoy great lasagna later.

A simple sauce is the best thing you can do for your meal.

A pan sauce feels like something you read on a menu, doesn’t it? A bit of fancy chef magic that should only be attempted by trained professionals. But here’s the real secret: pan sauces are so incredibly simple. And fast. In the time it takes your steak or pork chop to rest, you can turn those pan drippings into a fantastic sauce, no culinary school degree required. Liquid, in a combination of wine or stock, is used to deglaze the pan and a little butter is added to make things rich.

Poppy seed dressing has a balance of sweet and tangy that I find completely irresistible. The ingredients are easy-to-find; you need white wine vinegar, sugar, and some finely shredded shallot or onion. It’s great on a spinach and strawberry salad, makes a fun spin in a coleslaw, and also does wonders as a marinade for chicken. It’s the jack-of-all-trades of the salad dressing world. This dressing is also surprisingly easy to make yourself.

It's slow-simmered and meat-packed.

There is a particular bottled salsa on every table in Costa Rica. It’s called Lizano and the first time you taste it you have to stop and think a minute. Do I like it or not?

Sweet, salty, and sour, and perfect with everything you're grilling this summer.

From a fresh new take on ranch to a marinated fresh tomato number that's great on pasta and so much more, you'll be making these on repeat from now until sweater weather.

They're all packed with flavor.

They're easy enough to shake up on a weeknight and go with any kind of salad.

Sausage gravy is one of those dishes that is so basic, you don’t even need a recipe. But it’s also one of those dishes that, in the age of everything being bigger, bolder, and more unique, tends to get lost in the mix. But let’s not let that happen! In this recipe, you only need only a few ingredients – pork sausage, flour, milk, salt, pepper, and hot biscuits – to make Southern sausage gravy.

You only need two ingredients.

A super-fast side you'll make all summer long.

The better way to compound butter.

This rich, creamy pasta sauce was the result of an experiment. We wanted to make a creamy, mushroom-y pasta topping with no cream. We’re trying to watch our diet a little better, and while we were eating pasta there was no need to indulge in cream, right? Instead, the bulk of this sauce is white wine, broth, and mushrooms. We don’t use a lot of wild mushrooms – they are expensive, and just a few will do here to give flavor. The result?

It’s so stable, you can even refrigerate it and reheat it in the microwave.

It doubles as a marinade.

Don’t even think about whipping up a batch without it.

Don't let a morsel of pan drippings go to waste.

Aioli is an opportunity to change your thinking about mayonnaise, the condiment we buy in a jar and use primarily for function rather than flavor.

Whenever I go to a restaurant that has a salsa bar (always a plus in my book), I skip over the chunky pico de gallo and roasted tomato salsa and head straight to the salsa verde. This tart, slightly spicy salsa always makes whatever I’m pouring it onto so much tastier. It can be slightly harder to find at the store, but it’s actually one of the easiest salsas you can make at home! You just need five ingredients: tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and salt.

It uses all pantry staples.

And it’s perfect for all your dipping needs.

The classic pasta sauce just got a whole lot easier.

My comforting, go-to dinner.

Transform any vegetable into a showstopper.

It's like a less fussy carbonara.

It's universally well-received.

It's now my forever favorite.

This recipe makes a classic gravy that's perfect for gluten-free holiday tables.

Traditionally, it can take two full days to make; this recipe only requires 40 minutes.

When your Thanksgiving turkey is roasted and the guests are seated, you don't have to worry about your gravy; it's already done. Here's a step-by-step recipe to show you how.

A classic cranberry sauce that requires just three ingredients.

It's an easy process that is 100% worth it.

One of the rare times you actually want to be basic!

I always have this Puerto Rican staple ready to add to stews, stir-fries, and any other dish that needs a quick burst of flavor.

It goes from salads to veggies to meat without blinking an eye.

If you only have a few minutes to get dinner on the table and have just enough energy to dice an onion, this is a good recipe to turn to! The flavors are simple yet delicious, and the ricotta adds just a touch of tang and richness. Sometimes a dish like this with a glass of wine is all it takes to make us happy.This sauce can be made in roughly the time it takes a large pot of water to come to a boil. Prep all the ingredients and then put the water on to boil.

You’ve seen them on restaurant menus at fancy places. Braised Beef Medallions with Cognac Reduction. Roast Muscovy Duck With Cherry-Port Reduction. Venison with Rosemary-Basalmic Reduction. They may sound exotic, but they’re quite easy to prepare at home on your own!You, too, can dazzle your family and dinner guests with chi-chi reduction sauces at very little time and cost.A reduction sauce is often a sauce made with the drippings and juices left over after cooking meat.

These are the grown-up buttered noodles you need in your life.

It’s so good, it’s hard not to eat it right off a spoon.

It's garlicky, savory, and oh so easy to make.

This West Coast sauce is about to become your go-to condiment.

No one would guess that there's no meat in sight.

Knowing how to make chocolate ganache requires understanding just two things: proportion and temperature.

The simplest — and tastiest — way to elevate your dinner at home.

A visual guide to 5 garlic butter recipes from seafood to mushrooms.

Let us introduce you to the luxurious dairy-free substitute for whipped cream, cheese dip, alfredo, and even sour cream. Dairy-free cooks love it; vegans rely on it. You will too.

Ranch dressing's cool older sister is really into the herb.

Don't try to be original — just make this four-ingredient recipe.

It's on your table in 30 minutes, too.

A fresh and flavorful sauce to memorize.

It comes together with just a handful of condiments.

You'll want to spread it on EVERYTHING.

It's a condiment that doesn't hold back.

It comes together with four ingredients and the push of a button.

It's as luxurious rich and creamy as you'd expect.

Packed with sweet and juicy shrimp.

The kale and herb pesto is herby and bright.

It's sweet, punchy perfection.

Pour this French custard sauce on cakes, cobblers, and beyond.

The best partner for egg rolls.