Sauces, Dressings, Dips

20 Savory Paleo Sauces You Will Want to Make!

What’s the secret to eating something that’s good as opposed to amazingly delicious and fun? It’s all in the sauce! There is no law that you have to eat a certain sauce with a certain food, although there are plenty of traditional ways to eat sauce, such as tartar sauce with fish, salsa with chips, pizza sauce on pizza.

I have talked many times about my love of sauces and their ability to elevate food to all new levels and make something gourmet.

So dish it out! Mix it up too! Being the foodie that I am, I like to keep it interesting. You won’t get bored with a little imagination and some sauce! Explore these winners. Try them all! They are delicious!

Fire Roasted Salsa from Paleo Leap

Enchilada Sauce by Jan’s Sushi Bar

Mayonnaise (30 Second Immersion Blender Recipe) at Real Food with Dana

Better than Peanut Sauce: Paleo Almond Satay Sauce by Rubies and Radishes

Fresh Basil Pesto by Sam 🙂

Buffalo Hot Sauce by Pete’s Paleo

Salsa Roja – Mexican Red Table Sauce by Chili Pepper Madness

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce by leelaLicious

Tomato Basil Jam by Sam

Homemade Ketchup with Honey from An Oregon Cottage

Quick and Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce by Bowl of Delicious

Low FodMap Honey Orange Barbecue Sauce by Sam

3-Ingredient Bacon Jam by Real Food Liz

Chimichurri Sauce by Gimme Some Oven

Simple Tartar Sauce by Sam

Paleo Honey Mustard Sauce by Paleo Newbie

Ranch Dressing (SCD Low FodMap)

Taco Sauce (Low FodMap)

Won’t Miss a Thing Ranch Dressing

SCD Low FodMap BBQ Sauce

Paleo Worcestershire Sauce by Paleo Table

Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Attention taco lovers! Skip the bottled taco sauce and make this easy, low fodmap, classic taco sauce at home!

I like it drizzled on top of a taco salad, a taco bowl, or my Weeknight Taco Recipe here. 🙂

Delicious Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Tomato Sauce

1/4 Cup of Sliced Scallions (green part only)

2 Tablespoons of Champagne Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Ground Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon of Ancho Chili Powder

1/8 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon of Honey

Directions: Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a low boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Now, for silky smooth sauce, pour it through a fine mesh metal strainer. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Please, if you do not eat honey on the Low FodMap diet you are folllowing, do not bash the creator of the recipe. I write my recipes using the protocol I personally used and thousands of others have and do as well with success. It is available as a PDF for free at the top of my website. Dr. Allison Siebecker’s SIBO Specific Low FodMap food guide which allows for honey under 2 tablespoons. All rude comments will not be tolerated and removed. As a recipe writer, I work hard to write recipes for myself and others who have dietary restrictions and digestive challenges.

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Blueberry Spoon Fruit (Date Sweetened)

Making Spoon fruit is a delicious way to use Summer’s fruit bounty! It is a technique that purees and reduces the fruit on the stove top, without added thickeners or refined sugar, to a jammy consistency.

For this luscious Blueberry Spoon Fruit, I used dates and a bit of fresh lemon juice, along with wild blueberries.

I use this spoon fruit in my Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Simple is often the best!

Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Ingredients:

1 Cup Blueberries

1/4 Cup of Pitted Dates (Roughly Chopped)

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions: In a small saucepan, bring the berry mixture to a boil, and simmer for ten minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to a blender (I used a small Ninja) and puree.

Making Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Yield: approximately 3/4 cup

Date Sweetened Blueberry Spoon Fruit

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Simple Tartar Sauce

Sauces elevate food! Chefs and restaurants know it, and the French have it nailed. You can have the simplest of meals, add a sauce, and it makes your mouth do a happy dance!

Today I have a new tartar sauce recipe for you! I had it this week with grilled lemon salmon. It would be delicious with any seafood. Add it to you repertoire!

Grilled Salmon with Simple Tartar Sauce

This is so simple! Don’t you love simple but good?

Simple Tartar Sauce

Simple Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of Avocado Oil Mayo or Homemade Mayo (I used Primal Kitchen)

2 Tablespoons of Bubbies Kosher Dill Relish

2 Tablespoons of Finely Diced Yellow Onion

1 Teaspoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon of Finely Chopped Capers, optional

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions: Whisk everything together. Viola! Tartar Sauce!

Tartar Sauce Ingredients

Simple Tartar Sauce Ingredients

Tartar Sauce in a Bowl

Simple Tartar Sauce

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Fresh Basil, Chive and Dill Herb Sauce

Sauces are one of my favorite ways to elevate the flavor of anything!

This sauce is a savory one that can be used in many different ways. I use it as a dip for crackers or raw vegetables, drizzle it on meat or fish after it is cooked, sautée it with vegetables, and use it as a marinade before grilling. It also is a delicious way to dress a salad by thinning it with a little more lemon juice.

Fresh Basil, Chive and Dill Sauce

When I have sauces handy, it is going to be a good week in the eating department, even if I don’t have a lot of time to spend cooking! What I mean by this is, it makes it super easy to elevate meals from boring to spectacular. Sometimes on the weekends, I spend a Saturday morning making sauces to use for the next couple weeks. I like to freeze half of them, so I can pull them out of the freezer when I need them. There are 21 other recipes for sauces and dressings to choose from under the Sauce section in my Recipe Index.

Fresh Basil, Chive and Dill Sauce over Pork Tenderloin

This sauce utilizes three different herbs that gives it a Mediterranean flare and lots of beneficial nutrients. I am always taking into consideration the benefits as well as flavor of recipes. 🙂 Herbs are generally under-used in cooking, and really bump up flavor and nutrition.

This recipe makes 1 1/4 cups. I like to pour it into two jars, one for the fridge and one for the freezer.

Fresh Basil, Chive and Dill Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

3 Packages of Fresh Basil (3/4 oz.)

1 Package of Fresh Dill (3/4 oz.)

1 Package of Fresh Chives (3/4 oz.)

1/2 Cup Raw Pecans

6 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

(or 12 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and 2 Fresh Garlic Cloves if not following Low FodMap Diet)

1 Tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Ready to Blend Ingredients for Sauce!

Simply put all the ingredients into a blender, and blend on high until smooth!

Now, how will you use your fresh herb sauce? I would love to hear your ideas!

Versatile Herb Sauce as a Dip with Crackers!

Versatile Eat Your Veggies NoMato Sauce

This sauce is the bomb! My twenty year old son, Jeffrey, has a hard time eating vegetables, and he didn’t even know the amount of vegetables he was consuming when I used this sauce instead of tomato sauce in my Bolognese recipe last week. In fact, all four of the other family members sat down to dinner and inhaled the sauce.

Eat Your Veggies Tomato Sauce Collage

If you are eating nightshade free and miss tomatoes, this is a very versatile tomato sauce that tastes exactly like tomato sauce with a lovely full bodied consistency, but a little thicker. So, it could be used as a tomato paste substitute, or thinned down with extra broth. If tomatoes aren’t a problem for you, this is a way to get more vegetables into your meals with ease and a flavor punch.

Versatile Eat Your Veggies “Tomato” Sauce

The total time to make this sauce is about an hour and a half. It makes 3 1/2 cups. I like to jar the sauce in one cup containers and freeze what I am not using for later convenience. Doubling the recipe takes very little extra time, and gives you more to freeze for later.

Use this sauce straight from the jar, or use it in your favorite tomato sauce recipes measure for measure. I currently have on my list of recipes to develop with this sauce, pizza and enchiladas! The sky is the limit! Here’s the recipe:

Versatile Eat Your Veggies “Tomato” Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Cups Carrots, Peeled and Chopped

1/2 Cup Shallots, Peeled and Sliced

1 1/4 Cups Red Beets, Peeled and Diced

1 1/2 Cups Red Onion, Peeled and Diced

1/2 Cup Celery, Chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2 Cups Broth (Chicken, Bone Broth or Vegetable Broth)

1/2 Cup Aged Balsamic (I love this 18 Year Old, No Sugar Added, High Quality Balsamic)

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Anchovies (Umami Guys! Don’t skip it!)

1 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Turmeric

1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Mace

1 Bay Leaf

Directions: Place 1/4 Cup of olive oil in a heavy stock pot over medium high heat. Add the Anchovy, and stir until it almost melts into the oil. Add the prepared vegetables, and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix all the herbs, mace and salt together in a small bowl. After the vegetables have cooked for five minutes, add the seasoning, and stir for one minute. Add the broth, bay leaf and balsamic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

Remove bay leaf. Add all the ingredients to a high speed immersion blender, and blend until very smooth.

Place the sauce in jars and use within three days in the refrigerator, or freeze for later.

I would love to hear how you are using this sauce in your recipes! Stay tuned for more recipes with this sauce coming soon!

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Festive Cranberry Sauce

Festive Crannberry Sauce

This is the Best Cranberry Sauce Ever!!! IMHO 🙂 Even if you don’t like cranberry sauce, you will like this one! It is that good!

It is bright, sweet, and tart, a gorgeous, gorgeous shade of berry, and the coconut sugar added at the final stage adds an earthy warmth like a cozy hug that can’t be described. After the sauce is poured warm into a serving bowl, it is sprinkled with toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts and chilled for the perfect accompaniment to your holiday table! It is definitely going on mine! Happy Holidays!

Festive Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Pint of Fresh Cranberries

1/2 Cup Organic Apple Cider

1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

1/2 Cup of Honey

Zest of One Organic Orange

1/2 Cup Toasted Walnuts

Directions: In a medium saucepan, add washed, fresh cranberries, cider, orange juice, honey, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the berries pop and the juices have reduced by about half.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350º degrees, and place the walnuts on a cookie sheet. After the oven has preheated, toast the walnuts for five minutes. Remove from the oven and cool, then coarsely chop them and set them aside for sprinkling on the top of the cranberry sauce when it is ready.

Place the warm, simmered cranberry sauce into a blender. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle while warm with the toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts. This allows some of the walnuts to sink into the sauce so they are throughout and on the top. Chill at least four hours. This will keep in the refrigerator and can be made in advance!

Makes 2 Cups

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Apple Butter in the Crockpot

I love apple season! The apples are crisp and abundant in the Fall, and I believe everyone loves the smell of apples and cinnamon when they walk into a home.

Apple Butter in the Crockpot (No Sugar Added) in a Rose Chintz China Bowl

Do you love apple butter as much as I do? i didn’t grow up eating it. I learned about apple butter when I moved to a Southern state from Northern Michigan in my twenties. The town I moved to had an annual apple butter festival where they made it in large copper pots during the festival weekend, and the whole town smelled like delicious cooking apples!

The fact that this recipe is so full of flavor and natural sweetness from the apples themselves is very appealing from a nutrition standpoint. Naturally fruit sweetened apple butter contains vitamin C, phytonutrients, and fiber, and also small amounts of potassium and calcium.

Some of the ways I use apple butter is for baking, with pork, topping sweet potatoes, in cookies, muffins, apple pie, as a spread, and in smoothies, and honestly I like it plain by the spoonful. It is especially beautiful in this Rose Chintz china bowl that has been passed down through the generations in our family. 🙂

Apple Butter (Crockpot No Added Sugar)

This crockpot recipe means you can walk away and don’t need to stand over the pot stirring! It is thick and as good as the more labor intensive way, and your house will smell amazing!

Apple Butter in the Crockpot

In this recipe, I caramelized the apples on the stove top before adding them to the crockpot for a richer flavor, and to add layers and complexity to the apple butter, I included the zest of the lemon and a bit of salt.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds of Apples (I used 4 Granny Smith and 4 Fuji Apples)

1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (You could also substitute Grass Fed Butter or Ghee)

1 1/4 Cup Fresh Apple Cider (No additives or sugar added)

Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

!/4 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

Directions:

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Melt the coconut oil in a large sautee pan over medium high heat. When the coconut oil is melted, add the apples. Cook the apples in the coconut oil for five minutes, stirring only occassionally until the apples are nicely browned.

Sliced Apples

Add the remaining ingredients to the apples, and bring the apples to a boil.

Sauteeing Apples

Then, place the apple mixture in the crockpot and cook on high for one hour with the lid slightly ajar. After one hour with the lid ajar, place the lid completely onto the crockpot, and cook an additional three hours until the apples are mostly disintegrated.

Apples Sauteed and in Crockpot

With an immersion blender or food processor (you could also use a blender). Blend the apple butter until smooth. Place in glass jars and seal.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 Cups.

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Creamy Italian Dressing

MMMmmm! Creamy Italian dressing that is healthy! It uses avocado oil mayonnaise, dried herbs that you should have in your pantry, a touch of honey, and a white balsamic vinegar to give it zing! There are no funky additives in homemade dressings. This recipe actually started one of my kiddos eating salads and liking them, but don’t limit it to the greens. It also makes a scrumptious dip!

Creamy Italian Dressing

The benefits of avocado oil are plentiful, including it is a source of essential fatty acids, is heart healthy, is one of the top five food sources of Vitamin E, and it is loaded with chlorophyll which is detoxifying! Read more about the benefits here.

Incorporating herbs into recipes gives us added vitamins and minerals in our diet. Each one has its own special properties and benefits. The whfoods.org database is a wealth of information if you want to dig further.

I don’t know about you, but I am planning to enjoy this dressing often!

Creamy Italian Dressing

3/4 Cup Avocado Oil Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Garlic Infused Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons of White Balsamic Aged Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Organic Parsley

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Organic Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Organic Basil

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/3 Teaspoon Black Ground Pepper

Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients together until completely blended. That’s it! Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Tomato Basil Jam

I love the intense flavor of jams. No matter if they are sweet or savory, the flavors are intensified due to the reduction. This Tomato Basil Jam is no exception. It is thick and full of tomato flavor and only 4 ingredients! The secret is the oven roasting. Slather it on cooked meat, vegetables, or crackers to bump up the flavor of anything!

4 Ingredient Tomato Basil Jam

Tomato Basil Jam

Ingredients:

3 Large Organic Tomatoes

1/3 Cup Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil

Preheat your oven to 375º degrees. Slice the tomatoes about a half inch thick. Toss with 1 Tablespoon of Garlic Olive Oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them in a single layer on two parchment lined baking sheets. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes until the tomatoes are starting to brown and caramelize.

Remove the pans from the oven and cool ten minutes. Place the tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 cup of garlic olive oil into a food processor. Add the fresh basil. Pulse until you get a smooth consistency.

This flavorful savory jam is full of healthy fat, lycopene from the tomatoes and delicious fresh basil. What’s not to love about this healthy spread!

Eat Your Nutrients!