12 Sauces and Spreads You Can Make At Home

Ingredients: 

• 340g peeled ground tomatoes
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp. mustard seeds
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cloves
• A pinch of ground chili (optional)
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 tbs. red wine vinegar

Directions: 

1. Add all the ingredients into a big bowl. Mix until the sugar dissolves.

2. Store in a closed container overnight so that the flavors develop.

3. The ketchup will stay fresh for 3 weeks.

2. Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is the perfect sauce for sandwiches and salads, and with this recipe, you’ll be able to create a wonderful homemade version of it.

Time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 2 tbs. vinegar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Place the egg, vinegar, and salt in a blender and blend on the highest speed for 10 seconds.

2. Lower the speed and slowly pour the olive oil into the blender. 

3. Keep blending for 30 seconds until a thick consistency is reached.

4. The mayonnaise will stay fresh for 2-4 weeks.

3. Mustard

Mustard is perfect for meat sandwiches and goes well with both ketchup and mayonnaise.

Time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup mustard seeds 
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tbs. maple syrup 
• 1 tsp. turmeric 
• ½ tsp. salt
• A pinch of ground chili 
• 2-4 tbs. water (warm – as needed)
• 1-3 tsp. horseradish (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients, except for the horseradish, in a bowl. Let the mixture sit and rest for three days.

2. Blend the mixture until it reaches a smooth consistency. If the mustard is too thick, add water.

3. Add the horseradish to the spread.

4. The mustard will stay fresh for 6 months, but its best to use it in the first month. 

4. Thousand Island Dressing

The well-known Thousand Island dressing makes every salad a pleasure to the senses. 

Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup mayonnaise (you can use homemade)
• 2 tbs. ketchup (you can use homemade)
• 2 tbs. horseradish
• 2 tsp. finely diced onion
• ¼ tsp. finely diced garlic  
• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• A pinch of salt
• 2-3 drops tobacco (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until a smooth consistency is reached.

2. Cool the mixture for at least an hour, so all the flavors blend together. 

3. The dressing will stay fresh for 3-4 days.

5. BBQ sauce

BBQ sauce is the perfect addition for when your grill meat!

Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• 2 shallots, finely diced
• ½ a red pepper, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tbs. canola oil
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• 1 tbs. tomato paste
• ¾ cup coffee, strong
• 2/3 cup vegetable stock 
• ½ Tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. cumin
• Hickory liquid smoke, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. In a pot, fry the onions and pepper in the canola oil over a medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

2. When the onions become translucent, add the tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the tomato juice evaporates.

3. Add the tomato paste to the pot. After one minute of cooking, slowly pour the coffee into the pot.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients. 

5. Turn off the flame, transfer the contents of the pot to a blender, and blend until you reach a smooth and even consistency. 

6. Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes, until the mixture becomes a thick sauce. 

7. Taste and fix seasoning if needed.

8. The sauce will stay fresh for 2-3 months. 

6. Sweet Chili Sauce

Thai Chili sauce is all the rage right now in kitchens across the world. This is how you can make it at home!

Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbs. sherry cooking wine
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1-2 tbs. chili, crushed
• 1 ½ tbs. corn flour, dissolved in 4 tbs. cold water

Directions:

1. In a pot, mix all the ingredients, except for the corn flour, and bring to a gentle boil. 

2. Lower to a medium heat and let the contents of the pot boil for about 10 minutes, or until the volume is reduced to half. 

3. Lower to a small flame, add the corn four slurry and mix until you reach a smooth consistency. Keep mixing for about 2 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat and adjust the seasoning, add sugar or chili as needed.

5. The sauce will stay fresh for 2-3 months. 

7. Vinaigrette 

This vinaigrette works great on salads full of fresh green leaves.

Time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup oil
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp. white sugar
• 2 tsp. salt

Directions: 

1. Add all the ingredients to a jar and close tight. 

2. Shake the jar well until all the ingredients are mixed together well. 

3. This sauce should be used immediately but it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

8. Garlic-Dill dressing

This dressing is great for salads and as a dip!

Time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbs. crushed garlic
• 2 tbs. dill
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2-3 tbs. milk
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste 

Directions: 

1. Mix all the ingredients together until a smooth consistency is reached. 

2. Fix the seasoning to taste.

3. The sauce will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks. 

9. Yemenite Zchug (hot salsa)

You might not be familiar with Zchug, but if you’re looking to add a kick to your meal, this is just the condiment for you. 

Time: 3 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 5 hot green peppers, diced (you can add one red pepper if you’d like)
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, large
• ½ Tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. water
• 2 tbs. oil

Directions:

1. Blend the peppers and cilantro leaves in a food processor. 

2. Add the oil and spices and blend until you reach a smooth consistency.

3. This condiment will stay fresh for 1 month.

10. Teriyaki 

This Asian sauce is really delicious in chicken dishes. 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbs. rice wine, sweet
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 /2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1 ½ tsp. crushed ginger

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a small pot.

2. Heat the ingredients over a medium flame, until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Let the sauce cool.

4. This sauce will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks.

11. Pesto

Pesto is a wonderful Italian condiment that works great as a base for pasta sauce, or as a spread on sandwiches. 

Time: 4 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• ½ cup parmesan (or pecorino) cheese, grated 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. In a food processor, blend the basil, garlic and pine nuts, until you reach a chopped consistency. 

2. Add ½ a cup of oil and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

3. If you’re using the pesto immediately, mix in the rest of the olive oil with the cheese. 

4. If you want to save the sauce, drizzle the rest of the oil on top and freeze.

5. The condiment can stay frozen for up to 3 months. 

12. Kalamata olive tapenade

Tapenade is the name of a condiment consisting of finely chopped olives, and it works great on all types of sandwiches.

Time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted  
• 2 tbs. capers
• 3 pieces of anchovies
• Lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbs. dried thyme
• 1 tbs. dried oregano
• ½ cup olive oil
• Black pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until the olives reach a diced consistency.

2. Fix seasoning to taste.

3. The tapenade will stay fresh for 1-2 months.