The perfect sauce can take a dish from bland to simply AMAZING!  Here are 8 awesome vegan sauces you need to try!
 
 

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Easy Lemon Tahini Sauce
Tahini was something I had not eaten before becoming a vegetarian. If you’re not familiar with it, tahini is essentially a paste made from crushed sesame seeds.

It’s a common condiment in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and is a major ingredient used in hummus.
Tahini is versatile and easy to use in a variety of dishes.
Here’s a recipe from A Couple Cooks for a lovely lemon tahini sauce.
 

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Cashew Sour Cream
I’m a big fan of sour cream. Even though I still consume dairy sour cream on occasion, I prefer to reduce my dairy consumption when I can.
Fortunately, I can easily swap regular sour cream for the vegan version without noticing too much.

Oh She Glows has a great recipe for making your own cashew sour cream.
Try a spoon or two of this on your next baked potato or spinach enchiladas for some added flavor!
 

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Vegan Pad Thai Sauce

When Larissa and I go for Thai food, we both usually order Pad Thai. Many Thai restaurants offer a tofu substitution so it’s easy to order and easy to customize the “heat” (spice) of the dish.
This is great since I usually order mine “Thai hot” and Larissa opts for no spice (‘cause she’s a wuss!).
We found a great, easy recipe for Pad Thai (which of course includes the sauce) from Nora Cooks. One of the best things about this recipe is that it only takes about 30 minutes to make. It also makes delicious leftovers!
 

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Miso Sauce

You can use miso in stir fry, for dipping, as a dressing, or as a flavoring for rice. The possibilities are endless! Miso sauce is a great staple to have around your kitchen.
If you aren’t familiar with miso, it’s made from cooked soybeans and grains (most commonly rice and barley) and mixed with salt and a fungus called koji.
Miso has an umami, or savory, flavor.
It’s rich in essential minerals and is a good source of vitamins B, E, K, and folic acid. Miso also helps promote good gut bacteria.
For an all-purpose miso sauce, check out Just One Cookbook. This simple 4-ingredient recipe can be used in a variety of ways.
 

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Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is a great fridge or pantry staple because you can use it to top off a quick bowl of pasta and veggies or use it as a sauce for veggie pizza.
This recipe from Pass The Plants involves a pressure cooker and has a total cook time of about 25 minutes, which means you can serve up dinner quickly with minimal supervision!
 

 

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Vickie’s Salsa

It’s no secret that I LOVE spicy stuff — the hotter the better! Salsa was a common condiment in our refrigerator when I grew up.
While there are plenty of salsa brands and varieties on store shelves they often contain a lot of unhealthy additives. Also, the best storebought salsa out there just can’t compare to the fresh flavors of homemade.
To make my salsa you’ll need:

* 2 Serrano peppers, boiled
* 8 oz can of stewed tomatoes