Peel with Zeal

menu icon
subscribe
search icon
×

Published: · Modified: by

26 Delicious Healthy Sauce Recipes

We have the secret sauce! These homemade healthy sauces are easy to make and add a zip of flavor to your favorite recipes. Most of these healthy sauce recipes are ready in less than 10 minutes and many require no cooking! How amazing (and delicious) is that!?!

dipping sauces in bowls

This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Making food at home from scratch can be time-consuming. This is why we specifically chose these recipes. They are easy to make and I have tested each one personally. Whether it is on my own recipe or from another blogger who I trust to make flavorful recipes, these healthy sauces won't disappoint.

Jump to:

What Makes a Good Sauce Recipe

A good sauce recipe typically includes minimal ingredients but each one serves a specific purpose. They may be adding flavor, acid, healthy fats, or texture. Keeping ingredients in balance is key.

A good sauce may only fresh ingredients and others only use pantry staples, meaning you always have options when maintaining a healthy diet.

Good sauces should be versatile. From how you serve it or the dish you pair it with. Or even doing double duty as a dip and a salad dressing, like our gluten-free peanut sauce.

What Makes a Sauce Healthy

The benefits of making sauces at home include controlling the quality of the ingredients, ensuring they are nutritious, and tweaking the flavor to get it just right.

Many store-bought sauces contain extra sugar and salt to add flavor, make them shelf stable, and cover poor-quality ingredients.

Higher quality more flavorful ingredients often result in using less sauce overall so adding a decadent ingredient here or there is no problem!

By making homemade healthy sauce recipes yourself we can control the ingredients to ensure they meet our own personal dietary requirements and preferences.

Our list of healthy sauces is all naturally gluten-free and many are dairy-free, sugar-free, paleo, or vegan.

Other ingredients that make these sauces healthy include:

  • Extra fruits and vegetables
  • Healthy fats including healthy oils, Greek yogurt, seeds, and nuts
  • Citrus fruits and vinegar to add acid
  • Fresh herbs, dried spices, and aromatics for flavor

Healthy Dressings

brussel sprout salad recipe on a plate

My most popular salad recipe is my shaved brussel sprout salad with pomegranates. The sugar-free poppy seed dressing became so popular I had to give it its own post. Here are a few more dressing recipes to try!

Healthy Cesar Salad Dressing

This Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe is a classic creamy dressing made with simple, fresh ingredients that can be whipped together in under 5 minutes.
go to recipe
Cesar dressing in a bowl

Poppy Seed Dressing (Sugar Free)

A naturally sweetened poppy seed vinaigrette is perfect for your next salad!
go to recipe Pin for later
healthy poppy seed dressing in bowl with wooden spoon

Carrot Ginger Dressing

No cook sauce features white miso, carrot & ginger. Perfect for grilled chicken, fish or steamed vegetables.
go to recipe Pin for later
miso ginger steakhouse dressing recipe over grilled chicken salad

Cilantro and Olive Vinaigrette

A tangy dressing perfect for salads, roasted veggies or grilled chicken.
go to recipe Pin for later
olive salad dressing in a jar

Healthy Pasta Sauces

bowls of pasta with marinara sauce

From red tomatoes sauces to bright green pestos. These sauces are perfect for pasta and pizzas. Or just to dip your bread into!

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

A San Marzano tomato sauce is a simple and authentic Italian pasta sauce with a naturally sweet flavor. Perfect serving over your favorite pasta, on pizza or as dipping sauce.
go to recipe Pin for later
San marzano tomato sauce in a bowl with two basil leaves.

Ramp Pesto

The best ramp pesto made with wild leeks and walnuts for a bold sauce that is perfect on pasta, breadm, and veggies.
go to recipe Pin for later
ramp pesto in bowl with spoon.

Easy No Sugar Pizza Sauce

Get the great flavor of pizzeria sauce without any added sugar with this easy no sugar pizza sauce recipe. It just takes minutes to whip together!
go to recipe

Easy Vegan Basil Pesto

Easy and quick vegan basil pesto recipe is perfect for pasta, grilled tofu or steamed vegetables.
go to recipe Pin for later

Spicy Sauces

Sometimes a firey kick is just what you need to elevate your recipe. These sauces and dips are big on flavor and heat. But if heat is what you like be sure to check out our roasted salmon with spicy pineapple salsa and our harissa beef and noodles. Both will give you a good kick.

Mango Habanero Salsa

Fresh mango salsa with a spicy kick. Mangos and habanero peppers collide for a sweet and spicy salsa that is perfect for dipping or serving on tacos. You won't be to stop at just one bite!
go to recipe Pin for later
mango salsa in a white bowl.

Cucumber Chutney

A simple green cucumber chutney with a spicy kick. Use as a topping or a slaw, but beware- it is HOT! But if that is your thing, a 100% 5 star rating doesn't lie.
go to recipe Pin for later
trini cucumber chutney in a clear bowl

Salsa with Canned Tomatoes

A blender salsa recipe using canned roasted tomatoes, charred onions, and jalapeno peppers.
go to recipe Pin for later
Smooth style salsa in white bowl.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Make homemade enchilada sauce in 10 minutes using pantry staples that you probably have in your kitchen this very second. Even better than a store-bought version, this homemade sauce is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and can be totally customized to your spice and flavor preferences.
go to recipe
spooning out red sauce

Avocado Crema

Avocado crema combines lime, fresh avocados, and sour cream for a tangy sauce. This recipe can be made with or without cilantro.
go to recipe Pin for later
avocado crema in bowl

Harissa Paste

An authentic harissa paste recipe made from dried peppers and aromatics such as caraway, cumin, and coriander. This North African condiment will add depth and smokey flavors to any dish.
go to recipe Pin for later
harissa paste in white bowl

Healthy Dipping Sauces

Our favorite shawarma-style crispy chicken wings come with a tangy coriander sauce. I use this cool dipping sauce on for so much more.

Gluten- Free Peanut Sauce

Creamy Thai peanut sauce made gluten-free. Perfect for grilled chicken, fish or steamed vegetables. It also includes a peanut-free Paleo option!
go to recipe Pin for later
peanut sauce in a serving dish on a cutting board

Gyoza Sauce

A simple dipping sauce that is perfect for any type of Chinese dumpling, potstickers, or gyoza. The dumpling sauce recipe only has a few ingredients and gets better as it sits. The flavors meld together and you can try it on new things. My personal favorite is dipping steamed broccoli into it!
go to recipe Pin for later
gyoza sauce in a blue bowl surrounded by potstickers

Paleo Raising Cane's Dipping Sauce Recipe

Paleo Raising Cane's Chicken Dipping Sauce is the paleo dipping sauce we have been waiting for. It is peppery, tangy, and so, so good. It tastes just like the real deal Raising Cane's Sauce and is an addicting dipping sauce for fries, chicken, chips, burgers, and more.
go to recipe

Balsamic Olive Tapenade

No cook savory topping is perfect for grilled chicken, fish or steamed vegetables. Or even with gluten free crackers as a snack.
go to recipe Pin for later
olive tapenade in a bowl

Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Cheese

Spreadable roasted garlic vegan cream cheese made from cashews. Seasoned with herbs we love this as a dairy-free dip for veggies. Thick creamy, and easy to make in a blender or food processor. This dip is vegan and gluten-free.
go to recipe Pin for later
cashew cream cheese recipe in bowl with crackers

Four-Ingredient Avocado Sauce

Tangy, tasty and simple to make. Use as a spread, sauce or dip! This is a vegan and dairy-free version of our avocado crema recipe. It only has 4 ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes!
go to recipe Pin for later
avocado sauce recipe in a jar

Healthy Sauces for Meats and Veggies

close up shot of steak sliced against the grain

My seared bavette steak recipe is served with a balsamic sauce that I also use on chicken. And the sweet and sour dipping sauce on our grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork is also worth trying.

Plus try some of these other sauces that are perfect for topping meats and fish.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a tangy sauce made with a mixture of fresh minced parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, oregano, and olive oil. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
go to recipe Pin for later
chimichurri in a bowl with a yellow spoon

Romesco Sauce

No cooking required for this Spanish red pepper sauce. It features roasted peppers, tomatoes, and almonds. Perfect for grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables. Serve hot or cold.
go to recipe Pin for later
romesco sauce in a jar

Sweet and Savory Sauces

mangonada popsicles stacked on top of each other..

If you are ready to expand your palate, these sauces balance sweet elements with savory ones for the perfectblance. We recently used the chamoy sauce recipe on our homemade mango and chili popsicles.

Chamoy Sauce

This easy homemade chamoy sauce recipe comes together in minutes. Chamoy delicious condiment that balances sweet, salty, and sour.
go to recipe Pin for later
chamoy sauce being spooned into small bowl.

Sweet and Smoky Whole30 Barbecue Sauce

Another highly rated recipe that is also sugar free. A sweet and smoky healthy BBQ sauce is amazing and easy to make. Never buy storebought BBQ sauce again!
go to recipe
BBQ sauce in jar

Pineapple Relish

A quick and easy pineapple relish with cucumbers and fresh herbs.
go to recipe Pin for later
pienapple cucumber relish in a bowl

Strawberry Butter Fruit Spread

A simple sugar free fruit butter spread. Only four ingredients using your own favorite berry combination.
go to recipe Pin for later
strawberry fruit spread in a bowl

Fermented Garlic Honey

Amp up the garlic in your next sauce or marinade with this no-work recipe.
go to recipe Pin for later
fermented garlic honey recipe

🔪Equipment

None of these sauces require specialized equipment to make. But here are a few of my favorite, and highly recommended, tools and utenils for making these easy sauce recipes!

For storing sauces, I use these bambo lids that fit right on my mason jars.

🌡️Storing Homemade Sauces

Most sauces last at least 3 to 5 days when properly stored. However some last longer with fermentation of canning. And a few of these recipes can even be frozen.

Please see the individual recipes for specifics.

If you try one of these recipes, be sure to post a photo on Instagram with @peelwithzeal so we can admire your creation! Follow Peel with Zeal on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest posts.

Next Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Join the Discussion

    Your email address will not be published.

  1. coral l fisher says

    where are the amounts? like how much olive oil? where is the recipe???

    Reply

    • Jen says

      This is a round up post. Please visit the page for the sauce you want to make. Thanks.

      Reply

  2. GiveItAWhirlGirl says

    Ooooo I want to try that peanut sauce out! YES and YUM to that!

    Reply

  3. W Gunning says

    What great food and great photos, Look forward to making these recipes.

    Reply

    • Jen says

      The Romesco is my favorite 🙂

      Reply