Category: Dips, Dressings and Sauces

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Simple French Fry Dipping Sauce

Ready to branch out from plain ketchup with your French fries? This creamy, lightly spicy French fry dipping sauce recipe is the best!

French Fry Dipping Sauce

French Fry Dipping Sauce

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Course Condiment
Servings 2 tbsp
Calories 115 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dill pickle juice
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp hot sauce

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together all ingredients until well combined.
  • Serve as a dipping sauce for french fries, appetizers or as a sandwich spread.
  • Hack:  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
  • Hack:  Make this sauce your own by adding more hot sauce, substituting barbecue sauce for the ketchup, using a different mustard (brown or dijon, for example), or adding horseradish or Worcestershire sauce! 
Keyword burger sauce, chicken tenders, condiments, creamy salad dressing, dipping sauce, French dressing, french fries, golf sauce, ketchup, keto, low carb, Marie Rose, mayochup, mayonnaise, onion rings, pink sauce, red white, sandwich spread, sauce cocktail, vegetarian, yum yum sauce

What was the very first condiment?  Check out the history of condiments here!

Suggestion:  Not only does this taste great with oven-roasted french fries, you could also serve it with pan-fried chicken tenders or homemade pigs in a blanket!

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Homemade Garlic Herb Butter

Homemade garlic herb butter combines a few simple ingredients to create a culinary powerhouse, coating everything it touches with delicious flavor!

Homemade Garlic Herb Butter

Homemade Garlic Herb Butter

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Course Condiment
Servings 1 tbsp
Calories 102 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup salted butter, room temperature, temperature (1 stick, 4 oz)
  • 2 cloves crushed or minced garlic (2 tsp)
  • 1 tsp dried chives

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, combine butter, cloves and chives.
  • Allow butter to sit for one hour before using.
  • Hack: Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly covered container for up to 1 month.
  • Hack:  Add ½ tsp salt if using unsalted butter.
  • Hack:  Substitute your favorite herb, such as basil or rosemary, for the chives!
  • Hack:  Spread on toasted baguettes or use it to make garlic bread!  You can toss it with pasta, or stir it into mashed potatoes or rice!
Keyword condiments, easy, garlic bread, garlic butter, garlic herb, garlic spread

Does homemade garlic herb butter have actual health benefits?  Yes!!

Suggestion:  Substitute this homemade herb garlic butter for the oil in these easy pan-seared scallops/shrimp!

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Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

This super easy simple homemade marinara sauce can be made in advance and frozen to have on hand for dipping goodies at your next get-together or game night!

Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

Simple Homemade Marinara Sauce

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Course Side Dish
Servings 4
Calories 168 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 dried Thai pepper, optional
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp)
  • 4 cups fresh tomatoes, cubed
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp sugar or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and dried Thai pepper..
  • As soon as garlic sizzles (don’t let it brown) pour in tomatoes and water.  Add salt, basil and sugar.  
  • Turn heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 1½ ro 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and sauce thickens.  Use a fork to break up tomatoes during cooking.
  • Remove Thai pepper and discard.
  • Use a blender or immersion blender to smooth the sauce if desired. Press sauce through a mesh colander to remove the seeds if desired.
  • Total yield: 2 cups sauce.
  • Hack:  2 15-oz cans of diced tomatoes can be substituted for fresh tomatoes.
  • Hack: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze in serving-sized portions for up to 6 months.
  • Hack:  If you have leftover tomatoes that are becoming over-ripe and don't have time to cook, simply puree them in the blender and freeze the fresh puree in sealed freezer bags or containers to use in recipes at a later date.  No need to core, peel or seed ‘em...just toss ‘em right in.  Run the puree through a mesh colander if you want to remove the seeds.
Keyword appetizer, easy, homemade sauce, hors d'oeuvres, keto, low calorie, low carb, marinara, marinara sauce, simple, tomato sauce, vegan, vegetarian

Tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse while being low in calories and carbs!  Check out the facts here!

Suggestion:  Serve this with easy cheesy sausage balls or Italian meatballs!

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Barbecue Mayo

 

Barbecue Mayo
Barbecue Mayo

Barbecue Mayo

 

2 tbsp barbecue sauce

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp spicy brown mustard

1 tsp red-hot or sriracha sauce

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Allow flavors to blend for 30 minutes before use.

Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly sealed container.

 

2 servings, 75 calories per serving

 

 

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Sweet And Hot Chili Sauce

 

Sweet And Hot Chili Sauce
Sweet And Hot Chili Sauce

 

⅓ cup rice vinegar

⅓ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp white wine

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes*, according to taste

1½ cloves garlic (1½ tsp)

1 tsp finely minced ginger root

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

 

Place all ingredients except cornstarch into a small saucepan and bring to boil, stirring constantly. When the sugar has melted, add cornstarch mixture and allow to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, about one minute.

Remove from heat, allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

*Red pepper flakes can be purchased in the spice section of the grocery store, labeled as “red pepper flakes” or “crushed red pepper”. You can make your own with dried chili peppers using a mini chopper or sharp knife.

 

Yield: One cup. Serving size 2 tbsp, 38 calories per serving

Hack:  Use this sauce to make roasted red cabbage with shrimp!

Hack: Chili sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat gently to restore consistency.

Hack: Do you know that you can freeze fresh ginger root? Grating it in it’s frozen state is easier than grating it fresh and, if you choose organic ginger, you don’t have to peel it! Simply place in a sealed freezer bag or container and pop it in the freezer.

 

 

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Scallion Pesto

 

Scallion Pesto

 

4 cups scallion or green onions, coarsely sliced

1 cup fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh chive

5 cloves garlic (5 tsp minced)

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

¼ cup parmesan cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

 

Yield:  2 cups

Serving size:  ¼ cup, 175 calories per serving

Hack:  Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or frozen for 12 months.  I recommend freezing in ice cube trays and then removing portions to a freezer-safe container so you can thaw just the amount you need.

Hack:  Pine nuts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 months or in the freezer for 6 months.

Hack:  Chop leftover green onions and freeze in a sealable freezer bag or container for future use.

Hack: Use leftover pine nuts in Baked Rice Pilaf,  Healthy Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Bechamel or Roasted Asparagus with Pine Nuts!

Hack:  Use this pesto to make Chicken Pesto Naan Pizza!

 

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Italian Salad Dressing Mix

Italian Salad Dressing Mix
Italian Salad Dressing Mix

Italian Salad Dressing Mix

 

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

¼ tsp thyme

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp basil

¼ tsp celery salt

2 tbsp salt

 

Mix together all ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.

For the salad dressing: Combine 2 tbsp mix with ¼ apple cider vinegar, ⅔ cup olive oil and 2 tbsp water. Shake or whisk to combine.

Serving size (mix only): 1½ tsp, 7½ calories per serving

Serving size (prepared salad dressing): 2 tbsp, 130 calories per serving

 

 

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Roasted Garlic Spread

 

Roasted Garlic Spread
Roasted Garlic Spread

Roasted Garlic Spread

 

1 head garlic

2 tsp olive oil

1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

¼ tsp pepper

½ tsp dried chives

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried parsley

½ tsp oregano

a pinch of sugar (to taste)

 

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

Remove the outer skins of garlic, leaving only the skin that covers the cloves.

Cut ¼“ off the top of the garlic bulb so that all the cloves are exposed. Set upright on aluminum foil. Drizzle oil over the bulb, making sure that the tops of all the cloves have been covered. Seal tin foil over the bulb.

Bake for 40-60 minutes, until the bulb is soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Remove the bulb from the foil, turn it upside down and gently squeeze garlic from the skins into a small bowl.

Mix in cream cheese, salt, pepper and spices.

Allow to rest for at least one hour while flavors blend. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

Serving size: 2 tbsp, 105 calories per serving

Hack: For a more dip-like texture, substitute ½ of the cream cheese for sour cream

 

 

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Hearty Healthy Black Bean Dip

This healthy black bean dip is a hearty, vegetarian dish that’s both flavorful and tasty. Serve it with chips or tortillas as an appetizer, snack or light meal!

Healthy Black Bean Dip

Healthy Black Bean Dip

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Course Appetizer, Snack
Servings 6
Calories 245 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup dried black beans
  • 4 cups water, divided
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 red onion, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 tsp)
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¾ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¾ cup cheddar cheese (3 oz)

Instructions
 

  • Cover beans with 2 cups of water and allow to soak for 6 - 12 hours. Drain and rinse.
  • Put 2 cups of water and beans to a saucepan. Turn heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until tender, checking occasionally to ensure there is enough water to keep beans from scorching. Drain excess water, if necessary.
  • (NOTE: The above step can be done ahead. Store beans tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
  • Heat the oven to 475℉ degrees.
  • Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute for 5 -10 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about one minute.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, red pepper flakes and cumin. Saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add the beans, boiling water and generous pinches of salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
  • Transfer to an oven-safe dish and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
  • Bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes. If the top is not as browned as you’d like, run the dip under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.
  • Serve immediately with corn chips, crusty bread, pita or rice.
  • Hack: One cup of frozen onions can be substituted for fresh onion in this recipe.
  • Hack: One 15 oz can of black beans can be substituted for the dried beans.
  • Hack: Store leftover dip in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Hack: Freeze leftover portions sealed in serving-sized portions for up to 6 months. Allow to thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Keyword appetizer, black bean, cheesy dip, dip, easy, football snacks, healthy, hearty, legume, snack, vegetarian

Did you know? Black beans are a member of the legume family.  Legumes come in many options, are inexpensive and they’re packed with nutrition!!

Suggestion:  Serve this dip with some authentic Indian flatbread naan!

 

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Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

These quick and easy pickled red onions require only 3 basic pantry ingredients to create an incredibly versatile condiment! Try it on burgers or sandwiches!

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions

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Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish
Servings 1
Calories 134 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Place onions in a ceramic or glass container with a tightly fitting cover.
  • Place sugar, vinegar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer until sugar and salt have dissolved.
  • Pour hot liquid over the onions, making sure the onions are completely submerged. Cover and allow to cool.
  • Refrigerate onions for 24 hours before serving.
  • Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.
  • Hack: Do not use metal or plastic containers to store onions.
  • Hack: These onions are great on tacos, burgers, sandwiches, salads, beans or anything else you want to flavor up!
  • Hack: This vinegar, sugar and salt combo can be used to pickle any vegetable. Try it with cucumbers, cooked beets, radishes or anything else you have on hand. Better yet, experiment with some combinations!
Keyword appetizer, cold side dish, condiments, easy, onions, pickled, quick and easy, red onion

Did you know?  Onions are nutrient-dense and provide many health benefits!

Suggestion:  These onions are a great topper for red bean casserole!

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