5 Minute Sauces

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Top 5-Minute Sauces

Our Favorite 5-Minute Sauces

Earlier this year, Dr Ludwig appeared on NPR to talk about Calories and carbohydrates with Allison Aubrey. As part of the show, we shared four of our favorite sauces recipes – this time, we’re sharing five! These sauces are our favorites not just because they’re delicious but also because they literally only take five minutes to make!

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Five Minute Sauces – How Many Have You Tried?

We often hear from our readers that sauces can feel intimidating to make. We’ve become so used to buying pre-made sauces that making our own seems mysterious, overly fancy, or time consuming. Luckily, none of those things are true. In fact, sauces are one of the simplest things to make because there is zero clean-up.

All you have to do is gather a few simple ingredients, then place them all in a canning jar. Finally, blend with an immersion blender. (You can also blend in a stand-up blender and then pour into your canning jar, but I find it’s much simpler to blend in the jar it will be stored in). Each of the sauces take no more than five minutes to make and can be stored in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. The outcome is delicious, restaurant-quality food, that is high quality and quick & easy to make.

When dinner time comes along, you can just pull your sauce from the fridge, ready to go. It’s just like using a store bought sauce, except you have full control over the quality of ingredients. Sauces sold in grocery stores are often full of added sugars, low quality oils, preservatives, and other ingredients that won’t support your body.

When I took on the task of translating Dr. Ludwig’s nutrition research into recipes and meal plans, I had three goals in mind.

  1. Get the Science Right
    First, I wanted to make sure all the meals I created accurately reflected the correct macronutrient ratios. So, we calculated it all for you. Ultimately, we built meal plans that will retrain your fat cells and get your body working for you rather than against you.
  2. Make it Delicious
    Above all, I wanted everything to be delicious with restaurant quality flavors that you love.
  3. Quick & Easy
    Finally, I wanted it all to be quick and easy for you. Our five minute sauces meet all three of these requirements. Try our sauces for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments!

Ready to Dive into the Recipes?

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NOTE: The recipes below are from Always Delicious, by David and Dawn Ludwig, and Always Hungry?, by David Ludwig. Used with permission.

Lemon Dill Aioli Cashew Balsamic Dressing Ginger Tahini Dressing Moroccan Sauce Thai Peanut Sauce
Lemon Dill Aioli

Lemon Dill Aioli

Chef Dawn Ludwig
For those of you that missed our popular deviled egg post a few weeks ago, we wanted to highlight the aioli used in that recipe. Not just for deviled eggs, this aioli is so delicious that it’s become one of our most versatile recipes! You can use it as a dip or spread in any one of your favorite dishes. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dips and Sauces
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients
  

  • ⅓ cup soy or whole milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 1½ tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp white wine vinegar
  • ¼-½ cup coarsely chopped fresh fill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
  • ⅔ cup neutral-tasting oil like avocado oil or high-oleic safflower oil

Instructions
 

  • First, place milk, salt, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, and dill into a wide-mouth glass mason jar or cup that will fit an immersion blender without splashing. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour oil into the mixture in a steady stream as you continue to blend until all oil is used and the aioli has thickened to a mayonnaise texture. Set aside in the refrigerator for an hour or more to allow flavors to fully develop.

Video

Notes

Nutrition (Per Tablespoon)

Fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 1g
Protein: 0g
Calories: 90
 

Variation

In place of milk, use a room temperature egg. Caution: we do not recommend raw egg for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, or people with weakened immune system.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Dips and Sauces

Cashew Balsamic Dressing

Chef Dawn Ludwig
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dips and Sauces
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cup

Equipment

  • Immersion blender or high power blender.

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • ½ cup neutral-tasting oil, such as high-oleic safflower or avocado oil
  • ¼ cup cashews

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a wide-mouthed mason jar or cup that will fit an immersion blender without splashing.
  • Then, pulse a few times to blend until the cashews are in small pieces but still chunky. Finally, place a lid on the jar. 
  • For best results, set aside for at least one hour to allow the flavors to develop. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.
Keyword Dips and Sauces, Phase 2

Ginger Tahini Dressing

Chef Dawn Ludwig
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dips and Sauces
Cuisine Asian
Servings 1 cup

Equipment

  • Immersion blender or high power blender.

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cp tahini
  • 2 tbsp white miso paste
  • 1 (2-inch piece) ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • ½ cup warm water

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar or cup that will fit an immersion blender without splashing.
  • Then, blend, working the blender into the pieces of ginger until smooth. Add additional water as needed to reach the desired consistency. 
  • Finally, place a lid on the jar. For best results, set aside for at least one hour so the flavors can fully develop. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.
Keyword Dips and Sauces, Phase 1

Moroccan Sauce

Chef Dawn Ludwig
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dips and Sauces
Cuisine Middle Eastern

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 (3- to 4-inch piece) turmeric, peeled (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • dash of finely grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground white or black pepper
  • 9-10 springs cilantro, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • dash of cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar or cup that will fit an immersion blender without splashing. 
  • Then, blend, working the blender into the pieces of ginger until smooth. Add additional water as needed to reach the desired consistency. 
  • Finally, place a lid on the jar. For best results, set aside for at least one hour to allow the flavors to develop. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Keyword Dips and Sauces, Phase 1

Thai Peanut Sauce

Chef Dawn Ludwig
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dips and Sauces
Cuisine Asian
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large orange (or, use 4 small clementines, or 2 large tangerines), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (½ inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup peanut butter (no sugar added)
  • 1 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar or cup that will fit an immersion blender without splashing.
  • Then, blend until the orange is fully blended and the sauce is thick and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste. 
  • Finally, place a lid on the jar. Allow the flavors to develop for one hour or more in the refrigerator. The dressing will keep for about a week.
Keyword Dips and Sauces, Phase 1

Looking for More Quick-and-Easy Recipe Ideas?

Check out our downloadable meal planning classes. Each class comes with an eBook including a Specialized One-Week Meal Plan and Prep Sheet, or Specialized Recipes, as well as Additional Resources prepared by Chef Dawn Ludwig and Chef Kenzie Osborne. Each class also has the option to add-on downloadable presentation slides for more recipes and extra resources.

Browse Classes and Register Here
Meal Prep in MinutesPhase 1: Build Your Own AH Meals
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