14 Jarred Sauces Our Editors Buy on Repeat (They Save So Much Time on Meal Prep)

Fly By Jing’s popular sauce trio comes with three essential flavors that you can enjoy on a variety of dishes: the enjoyably spicy Sichuan Chili Crisp; the sweet and savory Zhong Sauce; and the Mala Spice Mix that you can use in fried chicken, on top of popcorn, or on the rim of a salted margarita. Contributor Stella couldn’t rave enough about the versatile bundle after trying each one. “IMO, if you’re looking to spice up your life, then change up your palate,” she wrote. “It might seem daunting, but with the seriously yummy, easy-to-use, and unique products featured in the Triple Threat, there’s really no excuse for making boring food at home.”

The great thing about simmer sauces is that you can add them to anything — noodles, veggies, meat, rice — for a quick, easy, and delicious homemade meal. Ian, The Kitchn’s former senior commerce editor, prefers the variety pack from Saffron Road, which includes the brand’s tikka masala sauce, coconut curry, pad Thai sauce, and lemongrass basil sauce. “Because there’s no prep required for the sauce, all you have to do is toss your ingredients in the pan, add the packet, and cook everything through,” his review reads. “I found that quickly chopping up some veggies and chicken, popping everything in a pot with a sauce packet, and serving it all with a can of beer had dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat. That’s tough to beat for a lazy Tuesday night!”

Consuming Buffalo wing sauce is one of the tastiest ways to greet fall football season. But if you’re someone who gravitates to it year-round, you’ll definitely want to try Wing Time’s tangy, garlicky composition. “I find the mild version to be the perfect combination of heat, pepper, and vinegar,” wrote contributor Rebecca. “The consistency is smooth and creamy and easily coats whatever food I slather it on.” Namely, she uses the sauce on pizza, wraps, salads, and more. The options are endless!

Break away from traditional jarred marinara in favor of exciting new flavors with Sauz's variety pack. The editor-loved bundle features enticing options, like Hot Honey Marinara, that you’ll have so much fun trying. You’ll also be happy to learn that each sauce is non-GMO and gluten-free, and doesn’t contain any undesirable preservatives. Plus, the jars are big and won't have to be restocked often.

As is the case with any sauce, finding the perfect Italian dressing can be a long process of trial and error. You can bypass that by grabbing the Good Seasons Italian dressing and recipe mix during your next grocery run. The Kitchn's Editor-in-Chief, Lindsay, said her mom and both of her grandmas have used the mix since the ‘70s! “It packs in flavor from dried garlic, onion, bell peppers, and carrots and has a little soy sauce for some added depth and savoriness,” Lindsay’s mom said. “It’s a universally pleasing dressing. Everyone just loves it.” Try the dressing mix for yourself! You never know — it might become a staple for your family, too.

If you’ve ever dipped your fries in plain ketchup and thought, “This could use a little extra oomph,” you have to try harissa. Specifically, Villa Jerada’s spicy harissa, which is contributor Kate’s go-to condiment. “I love it swirled into shakshuka, dolloped on plain ol’ scrambled eggs, or spread on an English muffin with a chicken sausage patty to make a zingy breakfast sandwich,” she wrote. “At dinner, the options are endless: Enjoy this harissa on roasted or baked chicken, stirred into a veggie-rich soup, or, true to its Moroccan roots, added to tagines or other stews. It’s outstanding in an easy-to-vary salad dressing, as well.” Considering how fast you’re bound to go through the jar, it’s good to know that you can buy the harissa in packs of three, too!

Barbecue sauces can sometimes be too sugary and monotonous, until you meet this flavor-forward (and award-winning!) Japanese BBQ sauce. Contributor Meredith picked it up because of its handy squeeze bottle and minimal ingredient list and was delighted after trying it with rice, a salmon bowl, stir-fry, chicken thighs, and even morning eggs. "The sweet and salty sauce is an umami-lover’s delight, with notes of ginger, green onion, sesame oil, mirin (a sweet cooking wine), rice vinegar, and soy sauce," she wrote. And without any thickening agents, it remains thin and perfect for drizzling, so it's easily used as a marinade or go-to sauce.

You’ve definitely seen Rao’s pasta sauce in your local supermarket. But if you had any doubts about its quality, our taste test, in which staffers blind-tasted nine different brands of jarred Alfredo sauce, confirmed that this is one of the best. Testers praised the runner-up’s nutty and cheesy smell, as well as its peppery flavor. Trader Joe’s Alfredo sauce ultimately won first place, but if you don’t have a TJ’s near you, this is the next best thing.

Despite growing up in Texas, Commerce Assistant Editor, Morgan, never considered herself a spice-lover until trying Truff’s jalapeño lime hot sauce. It offers the brand’s trademark hint of black winter truffle, as well as punchy green jalapeño pepper and lime. “At first, I was a little unsure when I heard that truffle was involved — usually, I find it to be a little too intense — but I was happy to find that the flavor was just the right amount of subtle,” her review reads. Now I regularly add it to everything from tacos to plain eggs.

Despite not being a huge hot sauce user, Commerce SEO Editor, Sarah, is an avid everything bagel lover, so she knew she had to give this unique condiment a try. Now she’s “a full-blown convert.” “It’s spicy, it has so many uses (I use it to marinate meat or as a dip), and, yes, it tastes exactly like your favorite bagel,” she said. “Trust me, you’re going to want to keep a bottle of this sauce on hand from now on.”

It's no secret that we’re big fans of Brightland’s olive oils, so we weren't surprised to discover that its pizza oil, which has notes of jalapeño, garlic, oregano, and basil, is just as delicious. The Kitchn's Former Senior Contributing Food Editor, Sheela, found the oil to work great on not only pizza, but also just about every food she tried it on. “The jalapeño notes had me reaching for it the other week when I was roasting vegetables for tacos, and I loved how it livened up and enhanced a caprese salad I had made with less-than-perfect tomatoes,” she wrote. "When you think of it as a spicy jalapeño herb olive oil (as it’s described in smaller print on the bottle) rather than simply a pizza oil, you open up a world of possibilities."

Playing with your salad dressing rotation can be fun — especially if you’re experimenting with SideDish’s bold and unique flavors. Ian said the brand’s best-seller multipack turned him into a salad-lover, noting that with versatile flavors like chipotle ranch, honey Dijon, and creamy sesame, you’d be hard-pressed to find a salad these wouldn’t go well with. “I love adding the creamy sesame to stir-fry dishes and coleslaw, and for sandwiches and burgers, the Chipotle Ranch is unbeatable,” his review noted. “In fact, there are plenty of recipes on the SideDish site that incorporate the dressings in unique ways, with meals ranging from, of course, a slew of salads to more ambitious plates such as creamy sesame noodles, shrimp tacos, and a hibachi-inspired stir-fry.”

When she was a line cook at popular New York City restaurant Misi, Meredith's favorite dish to eat and prepare were the leeks, which she roasted until tender and finished with a drizzle of TuttoCalabria’s Calabrian chili oil. She loves that the oil is just spicy enough to add a subtle kick, and even after that job she found herself using it in her everyday home cooking. “It gives a pop of flavor and color to any plain bowl of soup, but even an instant ramen will look beautiful finished with this oil,” Meredith wrote. “It pairs extremely well with yogurt-based dips and dressings like tzatziki, too, and it’s a unique addition to a cheese board.” Can you tell our writers love a multipurpose sauce?

Despite much debate over whether celebrity hotspot Carbone is worth the hype, one thing’s for sure: The Italian American restaurant’s spicy vodka sauce is a must-try. Luckily you don’t have to secure a reservation at the always-booked eatery to try it, because it’s available on Amazon. And, as The Kitchn’s Former Associate Food Editor, Cory, noted, the absence of cream on the ingredient list is a game-changer. “Most shelf-stable vodka sauces with cream are a bit mediocre, but adding fresh cream to the already-made sauce gives the dish something extra special,” his review noted. “While it does require the purchase of an additional ingredient, I believe it is totally worth it.”