Dairy-free sauces are a fantastic choice for those who want their dishes to taste better without adding dairy products.
These sauces are ideal for individuals who are lactose intolerance, have milk allergies or are following a vegan diet. Also super beneficial as they help improve digestion and reduce inflammation.
Made out of nuts, seeds, vegetables and other plant-based components, dairy-free sauces contain less calories and saturated fats than the conventional ones, which makes them a healthy choice for anyone.
Here are some of my best ones! Enjoy.
The 14 Best dairy free sauces and recipes
1. Marinara Sauce
I love to cook, but my favorite recipe of all time has to be Marinara sauce. I love the process of making it.
The smell of garlic, tomatoes, and herbs on the stove filling my kitchen is so warm and comforting. My mixture of flavors is rich and bold, and I like to have it with spaghetti or use it as a base.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
Add dried oregano, salt, and pepper; simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adjust seasoning to taste before serving.
2. Pesto
I love me some pesto.
It is a dash of supernatural kitchen magic that turns a nondescript plate of pasta into something that only your favorite Italian restaurant can rival, and quite possibly even beat.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Instructions
Combine basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic cloves in a food processor.
Pulse the mixture until finely chopped.
Slowly add olive oil while the processor is running until smooth.
Season with salt to taste.
Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator.
3. Soy Sauce
In my kitchen, the one ingredient I can’t live without is the soy sauce. Its earthy, umami-rich flavor works with almost any dish, and I find myself dipping into it whenever I’m cooking.
I enjoy incorporating it into marinades to add depth and complexity, or simply pouring a few drops over steamed vegetables to bring out their inherent sweetness. The soy sauce is that condiment that elevates an ordinary meal to something magnificent.
You can even make it from home! Or buy it in the store!
Ingredients
1 cup soybeans
1 cup wheat flour
12 cups water (divided)
1 cup sea salt
2 tablespoons koji starter (aspergillus oryzae)
Instructions
Soybeans: Soak soybeans overnight in water, then cook in 8 cups of water until soft, about 4-5 hrs.
Mash Mixture: Puree cooked soybeans together with the wheat flour and the koji starter.
Fermentation: Spread thinly in open vessel, cover and ferment 2-3 days at room temperature
Brine Solution: Dissolve sea salt in the remaining 4 cups of water, then add to the fermented soybean paste.
Aged: Shake the brine-soybean mixture well and put it into a jar.
Cover with a cloth and leave to ferment for 6 months to 1 year, occasionally just stir the content of the jar. Strain to get it into the soy sauce after the aging process is done.
4. Tahini Sauce
I love tahini sauce – creamy, nutty and delicious. It instantly makes whatever I add it to feel like it came from a Mediterranean kitchen (which, in its purest form, it does).
The sesame-based sauce is my condiment of choice with falafel wraps, topping fresh vegetable salads, and I love to experiment with it in other recipes too. Making it at home from roasted sesame seeds I always use, I have found my new favorite sauce.
I think you should try to make it too and incorporate it in your kitchen.
Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
Instructions
Mince the garlic and toss it into a bowl with lemon juice.
Let this sit for 10 minutes to mellow out the garlic.
Add tahini to the bowl, mixing thoroughly until smooth.
Gradually whisk in water until desired consistency is achieved.
Season with salt to taste.
Adjust flavors or consistency with additional lemon juice, water, or salt as needed.
5. Chimichurri
I just love the sheer power of Chimichurri
I think the mix of fresh herbs, garlic and vinegar is a perfect match with grilled meat and vegetables. It’s so versatile, and it brings a fresh zest to anything you put it on.
I’m at the point where I often grab a bit of chimichurri when I’m trying to perk up a meal. It livens things up with the perfect touch of herbs and acidity, and I think everyone should have a good batch on hand to make any dinner a treat.
Ingredients
1 cup fresh parsley leaves (packed)
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Pulse parsley, garlic, and oregano in a food processor until finely chopped.
Transfer to a bowl and add the red pepper flakes, salt, and a touch of black pepper.
Pour in olive oil and red wine vinegar, mixing until well combined.
Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt or vinegar as needed.
Let the chimichurri sit 15 minutes or longer so the flavours meld before serving.
6. Salsa Verde
What could perk up your favorite dishes more than a pitcher of green sauce with fresh herbs? I love this tart, all-purpose condiment that goes with everything from tacos to grilled vegetables.
It brings a bit of spiciness to my dinner.
Ingredients
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
Blend Herbs: Add the cilantro and parsley leaves to a food processor.
Add Capers and Garlic: Include the capers and minced garlic.
Start Blending: Pulse a few times to chop the ingredients.
Add the Olive Oil: Slowly pour in the olive oil as you are processing until you have a smooth consistency.
Adjust Seasoning: Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
7. Hummus
I love hummus. Like really really love it.
I love how velvety-smooth it is with its golden creaminess and deep, savory tang. Hummus is the culinary equivalent of the Alchemist’s Stone; you take a few humble ingredients — chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic — and you mix them together and end up with the nectar of the gods.
I love hummus on a pita or with veg, perhaps as the filling in a sandwich. I think no spread can go without a healthy serving of this nutrient-rich dip.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1/4 cup well-stirred tahini
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Instructions
Blend base ingredients: Add tahini and lemon juice to food processor; blend for 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Garlic and oil: Add minced garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt; process 30 seconds.
Blend in your soaked chickpeas: Chop half of the chickpeas in the food processor for 1 minute, then add the rest of the chickpeas and keep processing.
Adjust texture: Slowly add 2-3 tablespoons of water until you achieve your desired consistency.
Serve: Scoop the hummus into a serving dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika or chopped fresh parsley.
8. Romesco Sauce
This is Romesco Sauce, which I love because of the depth and warmth of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and nuts. I think often of one particular version.
I first tasted a Romesco sauce in Barcelona and afterwards it was used in my kitchen for almost anything: grilled vegetables, all kind of fish, grills of all senses. I start using it, and I believe it made everything taste better, traditional, yet very peculiar.
Ingredients
1 large red bell pepper, roasted and peeled
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove
Instructions
Roast the red bell pepper until charred, then peel and deseed it. Roasted red pepper, blanched almonds, garlic clove, sherry vinegar, and a pinch of salt, pulsed in a food processor.
Pulse until the mixture is coarsely ground.
Gradually add the extra virgin olive oil while processing until the sauce is smooth.
Adjust seasoning with salt and additional vinegar to taste.
9. Harissa
If I want my food to smell, taste and feel good: harissa. And not just any ol’ harissa.
I like to experiment with harissa from different places. I like the heat and depth of Tunisian chilis, which is what is normally used in harissa paste and in the harissa containers we see at supermarkets.
I also love the harissa from Tunisian restaurant Bienfait in Kendall Square in Boston.
They make and sell their own, and I think the secret is that they use a lot of garlic. I like to try crazy things, like using harissa to make a hummus that’s not even bean-based or using harissa to make a marinade.
Ingredients
10-12 dried red chilies
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Combine chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander, and olive oil in a food processor.
Process Mixture: Blend until a smooth paste forms, adding a little water if necessary.
Adjust Flavor: Season with salt to taste and blend again briefly.
Store: Transfer to a jar and refrigerate. Use within 1-2 weeks.
10. BBQ Sauce
When it comes to special flavors that put a plain grilled steak or sausage over the top, there’s nothing like a good BBQ. Smoky and sweet, tangy or spicy – there’s a BBQ sauce out there that will entice even the most jaded palate.
In fact, trying out different sauces is half the fun of barbecuing in my book. I always keep a few choice options on hand as a matter of principle, because any one of them will add that extra something, the seasoning, that always seems to bring people back for more.
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Stir the mixture over medium heat until well blended.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool before using or storing.
11. Coconut Curry Sauce
When it comes to cooking, one of the things I most enjoy is experimenting with new sauces to improve various dishes. One of my favorites is a thick, spiced and creamy sauce.
It’s almost like bringing the tropics to every meal. I enjoy its creamy texture and the mixture of vibrant flavorful spices.
It’s also great for drizzling on various types of food like rice and noodles. In my kitchen, you will always find it as it adds warmth and a sense of the exotic to ordinary meals.
Ingredients
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
Bring your saucepan to a medium heat and fry in the red curry paste for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the coconut milk, stirring well to combine with the curry paste.
Add the soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar, and continue to stir.
Put the mixture to simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until flavors are harmonized.
Adjust seasoning to taste, then remove from heat and serve warm.
12. Miso Dressing
But toss it in a bowl with a bit of water or vinegar and, voilà: the result is a versatile and savory—even umami—treat that can double as both a dressing for a fresh salad or a marinade to turn an otherwise meh dish into an Oh My That’s Good dish.
Mine usually leans sweet and tart but, as any professional miso-dressing-maker (which is totally a thing, even if slapping it on tofu doesn’t pay the rent) will tell you, there are endless ways of getting it just right.
Miso Dressing
Ingredients
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
Whisk together the white miso paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and maple syrup in a small bowl until combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. – If the dressing is too thick, then thin it out with a tablespoon or so of water until it’s how it should be.
Reserve any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Shake or stir well before each use to recombine any separated ingredients.
13. Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
I love the avocado, cilantro and lime dressing that I make for the best salad ever. I love it so much, I could eat it all day.
I could probably drink it!
I love it because it is creamy and full of flavor and I always have a jar of it in my fridge.
Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (packed)
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1-2 limes)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup water (or as needed for desired consistency)
Instructions
Scoop the flesh of the avocado into a blender or food processor.
Add the cilantro leaves, lime juice, and garlic.
Blend while gradually adding water to reach desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
14. Balsamic Vinaigrette Mustard
Playing with flavors is one of my favorite kitchen experiments and balsamic vinaigrette has been one of my most satisfying discoveries. I find the strong and sour profile of a good balsamic vinaigrette is a fantastic twist to a basic salad mix or even a main dish.
With homemade dressings, it’s the quality of the balsamic vinegar that makes a difference, at least to my palate. I love pouring it over fresh greens and the result always gives my meals an edge.
Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
Add minced garlic to the mixture.
Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust seasoning and consistency if necessary before serving.