21 Marinades and Sauces to Serve With Chicken, Beef, Pork, or Fish

updated Aug 8, 2023

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

I have strong feelings when it comes to marinade and sauce. Adding a simple sauce is a delicious, easy way to perk up dinner, no matter what’s on the plate. And 20 minutes in a marinade can infuse a cut of meat, poultry, or fish with deeper flavor, not to mention add moisture. These 21 favorites are the ones I keep on constant rotation in my meal plan, both because they’re packed with flavor and because they make an ideal finishing touch.

Marinades and Sauces for Meat

1 / 21

Fajita Marinade

Here's the only fajita marinade you'll ever need, made with freshly-squeezed lime juice, sliced onion and bell pepper, and flavor-packed dried spices.

2 / 21

Korean BBQ Marinade

This marinade can be used on beef short ribs, tofu, tempeh, or even vegetables. Once on the grill, the mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sweetener caramelizes and provides an irresistible smoky, savory, sweet flavor.

3 / 21

Vietnamese Inspired Blender Marinade

This salty-sweet-sour marinade, which is directly inspired by the Vietnamese sauce nuoc cham, tastes great with beef and pork.

4 / 21

Citrus-Chile Blender Marinade

This easy marinade is made with orange and lime juices, canned chipotle peppers, onion, and garlic.

5 / 21

Spicy Lemongrass Blender Marinade

This versatile marinade is made with lemongrass, chile-garlic sauce, fresh ginger, shallots, and lime juice.

6 / 21

Tamarind-Yogurt Blender Marinade

This easy, tangy blender marinade, which tastes great on lamb chops, is made with tamarind paste, yogurt, garam masala, shallot, and garlic.

7 / 21

The Ultimate Marinade for Tender Grilled Steak

Marinades are like insurance for your grilled steaks. Learn the basics of a classic marinade to get the most out of every steak this summer.

8 / 21

The Ultimate Marinade for Juicy Chicken

This lemony chicken marinade will leave you with juicy chicken hot off the grill.

9 / 21

Easy Garlic and Herb Marinade for Tofu, Chicken, or Pork

With just the right balance of tart lemon and pungent garlic, this is a bold-flavored marinade for tofu, chicken, or pork.

10 / 21

All-Purpose Pork Chop Marinade

A flavorful, Italian-inspired pork chop marinade.

11 / 21

Flank Steak Marinade

A flavorful flank steak marinade inspired by Korean bulgogi.

12 / 21

Shrimp Marinade

A spicy shrimp marinade inspired by the flavors of carne asada.

13 / 21

Salmon Marinade

This super-easy salmon marinade is heavy on the lemon, garlic, and fresh and dried herbs. It packs the fish with a ton of flavor while also keeping it from drying out.

14 / 21

Magic Summer Sauce

A quick and easy 3-ingredient sauce that's a perfect condiment for grilled chicken, steak, and vegetables.

15 / 21

Brown Butter Vinaigrette Sauce

The next time you’re wondering what to do with that lingering bunch of parsley, whip up this fresh and tangy sauce to drizzle over dinner.

16 / 21

Spread it on sandwiches, toss it with pasta, or treat yourself a single happy spoonful, but definitely absolutely positively make pesto any chance you get.

17 / 21

How to turn balsamic vinegar into a thick and glossy balsamic glaze, great for drizzling over caprese salads, grilled veggies and proteins, and even vanilla ice cream.

18 / 21

Chimichurri Sauce

Made with a bundle of fresh herbs, vinegar, garlic, and shallots, this vibrant green sauce tastes just as bright and bold as it looks.

19 / 21

Easy Creamy Peanut Sauce

The goes-with-anything, does-everything creamy peanut sauce you can make from pantry staples.

20 / 21

Quick Romesco Sauce

This 3-ingredient version of classic romesco sauce makes grilled and roasted dishes sing.

21 / 21

3-Ingredient Honey-Lime Sauce

This simple summer sauce has just the right balance of sweet, salty, and sour, and pairs well with everything from the grill.

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