Whether its pizza sauce, BBQ sauce or cheese sauce, you can make it all at home! Yes, you read that right. These homemade sauces are easy to make at home and they are of course healthier alternatives to store-bought condiments.
In this article, I’ve penned down part 2 of 6 of my all-time favorite recipes of some easy homemade sauces and chutneys, so that you can try them out too.
Here are 6 easy sauce and condiment recipes to try at home:
1. Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup any milk of choice
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Pinch of salt and pepper (optional)
Recipe:
Into a saucepan, add in the butter and let it melt. Reduce the heat and then, add in the flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Next, add in the milk and whisk until it becomes a smooth paste. Lastly, add in the grated cheese and whisk until melted and smooth/creamy in consistency. (Add additional milk for a thinner sauce if desired.) It is ready to serve.
To use – Serve it on veggies, with nachos, over pasta, you name it!
2. BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Recipe:
Into a saucepan, add in all the ingredients. Give it a good mix, lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Wait for it to cool completely before you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
3. Steak Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 cup homemade beef or chicken broth
- 3 sprigs stripped thyme ( optional)
Method:
Place steak flat in pan, and reduce heat to medium. Cook to desired degree of doneness, 2 minutes to 2 minutes and 30 seconds per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Pour off fat from pan on the steak.
To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon butter. Pour wine to the pan. Simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add black pepper, thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to sauce and gently shake pan to incorporate butter as it melts. Slice steak and divide slices between 2 plates. Drizzle steak with pan sauce and serve.
4. Mint Sauce/Chutney
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mint leaves (without stalks)
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- ½ inch ginger
- 2 small pods garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green chili
- ¼ cup yogurt or water ( add more if required)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
Into a blender, add in all the ingredients and blend until it becomes a smooth paste and your mint sauce/chutney is ready to serve. If storing keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To use – You can serve this chutney as a dipping sauce for dosa, pancakes, or you ca use it as a spread on your toast and sandwiches.
5. Pizza Sauce
Ingredients:
- 250 grams tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp red chilli flakes
- ¼ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed black pepper
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
Chop the tomatoes into cubes and add it into a blender and make it into a puree. Then, heat a pan and add in some oil (2 to 3 tbsp). Throw in the minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add in the red chilli flakes and sauté for a few seconds before pouring the tomato puree. Then, stir, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low to medium heat, until the mixture becomes half the quantity. Stir occasionally in between. Thereafter, add in the salt, oregano, basil, black pepper and sugar and give it a good mix.
Continue to cook until the sauce becomes thick and you will slowly start to notice some oil at the top sides. That’s when you can turn off the heat and let it completely cool, before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
6. Salsa Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe tomato (chopped)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- ½ tsp minced green chilli
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves (minced)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp pepper powder
Recipe:
Into a food processor, add in the tomatoes, onions and the cilantro leaves, along with the chillies and the spices. Add in the lemon juice as well and coarse grind the mixture, to get chunks. Make sure not to over-grind. It is then ready to consume. You can refrigerate this mixture to have it chilled or serve it immediately.
