In this section, I have a good mix of the saucy stuff—and also some great toppers—to add some punch to your salads, sides, and meals. Also check out the dips section on page 80 for more inspiration, as many of those can double as sauces.
If your kiddos generally like peanut sauce, they’re sure to love this! It’s zippy and flavorful, just spectacular tossed through brown rice pad Thai or soba noodles—or served as a dip!
Makes just over 1 cup
½ cup raw almond butter (see note)
½–1 tablespoon peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional; omit if needed for kiddos)
1 medium-large clove garlic (use smaller if needed for kiddos)
3 tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2–3 tablespoons water, plus another 1–3 tablespoons, if desired, to thin (see note)
1½–2 teaspoons fresh lime zest (zest limes first, then collect juices)
Extra lime wedges for serving
Using a handheld blender and a deep cup, puree the almond butter, ginger, red pepper, garlic, tamari, lime juice, maple syrup, and 2–3 tablespoons water. Add more water to thin as desired. The sauce will also thicken with refrigeration, or if it’s heated with noodles. So, thin either while blending, or simply add a little extra hot/boiled water as you work the sauce into a dish. Note that with thinning, you may want to season with a touch of salt.
After pureeing, stir in the lime zest. Serve with extra lime wedges to squeeze a pop of extra lime juice on individual servings (see suggestions)!
Nut Butter Note: If you don’t have raw almond butter, roasted almond butter can be substituted. Choose an unsalted nut butter; otherwise, you may need to reduce the tamari slightly.
Water Note: If making this for a dip, start with just 1–2 tablespoons of water. You can also substitute coconut water or light coconut milk.
Serving Suggestions: We love this tossed into pad Thai noodles (I use Annie Chun’s brand)—the noodles cook in just minutes! Try adding lightly cooked sliced/chopped veggies, such as sliced red bell peppers, raw ribboned carrots or zucchini (use a vegetable peeler), and/or blanched snow peas, green beans, or broccoli. Another way to enjoy this sauce is as a dip for veggies or rice paper vegetable rolls—use less water and adjust to desired consistency.
Everyone needs a good tahini sauce in his or her cooking repertoire. This one is simple enough to make any day but flavorful enough to serve on special occasions.
Makes about 1¼ cups
½ cup tahini
2–3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅓–½ cup water
3–3½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tablespoon tamari or coconut aminos
½–1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup to taste (see note)
In a blender or using a handheld blender and a deep cup, puree the tahini, parsley, sea salt, ⅓ cup water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tamari, and ½ tablespoon maple syrup. Puree until smooth. Add extra lemon juice and maple syrup as desired, to taste. For a thinner sauce, work in another 1–2 tablespoons of water.
Maple Syrup Note: The maple syrup helps balance the bitterness of the tahini. For adults, you may not want any, or you may want just ½ tablespoon. But I find that kiddos will enjoy it much more with that small amount of sweetener added.
Serving Suggestions: This sauce is very versatile. You can use it on leafy greens, massage into a kale salad, toss through cooked quinoa, or stir into hot noodles. It’s also delicious drizzled over veggie patties and loaves. Definitely try it with the Lentil Pumpkin Seed Pie, page 165.
See recipe photo on page 164.
This Tzatziki Sauce is a snap to make and pairs well with many burger recipes and lentil and bean stews.
Makes about 1¼ cups
1 tablespoon fresh dill or parsley
1½ teaspoons chickpea miso or other mild/light miso
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½–1 small clove garlic (optional; see note)
1 cup plain nondairy yogurt
½–1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup seeded, roughly chopped cucumber
Dash pure maple syrup (optional)
In a blender, add the dill, miso, sea salt, garlic, yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Add the cucumber, and process briefly to incorporate but not fully smooth out. Add more salt to taste, or a touch of maple syrup if desired to sweeten ever so slightly for kids. Serve!
Garlic Note: If you’ll be serving it to both children and adults, you can portion out and add a little grated garlic (use a kitchen rasp) for the adults!
Serving Suggestions: Pair with roasted potatoes, sweet potato fries, quesadillas, or veggie burgers/patties.
The kiddos will never know this dressing has spinach in it. Play it up as a superhero dressing, full of all the vitamins and good stuff that superheroes are made of . . . they will love it!
Makes about 1 cup
½ packed cup spinach leaves
½ cup chopped ripe avocado (see note)
½ tablespoon chickpea or other mild miso
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ scant teaspoon sea salt
⅓–½ cup water (or more to thin as desired)
1–1½ tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Puree the spinach, avocado, miso, mustard, sea salt, ⅓ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice (or vinegar), maple syrup, and black pepper until smooth. Add more lemon juice or vinegar and maple syrup as desired.
Avocado Note: We love avocado in this because it makes the dressing very creamy and luscious. It does oxidize a little, however, so the dressing doesn’t keep well after a day.
Idea: If your kiddos like fresh basil, try adding a little—up to ¼ cup, loosely packed.
Serving Suggestions: This dressing is so good you can use it for more than salads. Toss into pasta or cooked grains, drizzle over pizza or burritos, or use a little less water and make it more of a dip for the kiddos.
This dressing uses applesauce to emulsify the ingredients and produce a surprisingly thick vinaigrette that is virtually fat-free! This dressing is slightly sweeter than some vinaigrettes, so try it as is first, and then play with some of the seasonings if you like.
Makes about ½ cup
¼ cup unsweetened organic applesauce
1 teaspoon mild miso
¼ rounded teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
¼ teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¾–1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1–1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup (see note)
Using an immersion blender and deep cup (if using a blender, you may need to double the batch for enough blending volume), blend the applesauce, miso, sea salt, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup until very smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper. If you’d like a thinner dressing, simply add a couple of teaspoons of water and blend through again.
Maple Syrup Note: Add another teaspoon or so of maple syrup if you would like the vinaigrette to be sweeter.
Serving Suggestions: This dressing is great with a richer salad and meal, since it has some acidity and tang to cut through the heavier components. For instance, try on a salad topped with avocado and nuts, or on a salad alongside a nut-based veggie burger or pasta sauce.
You can make this creamy, delicious (and very authentic-tasting) Caesar dressing as is, or add nutritional yeast for a cheesy twist.
Makes about 1 cup
⅓ cup soaked and drained raw cashews
1–2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 teaspoon whole chia seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground chia if using handheld blender or standard blender)
½ scant teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon kelp granules (see note)
½ teaspoon capers
1 medium clove garlic, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓–½ cup plain nondairy milk (see note; use extra to thin as desired)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons pure maple syrup
Using a blender, combine the cashews, 1 tablespoon of the nutritional yeast, chia, sea salt, kelp granules, capers, garlic, black pepper, milk, lemon juice, and maple syrup and puree until very smooth. Add more nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor if you like, and add extra salt/black pepper/garlic if desired. Serve tossed into romaine lettuce, along with Seasoned Polenta Croutons, page 114.
Kelp Granules Note: If you have trouble finding kelp granules, they can be omitted. The dressing is still delicious without them!
Milk Note: I prefer plain unsweetened almond milk or soy milk in this recipe, but you can choose another if you prefer.
Idea: Adults might enjoy a little extra hit of capers, garlic, and black pepper in this dressing!
Kitchen Tip: This dressing will thicken after refrigeration. You can thin it by stirring in 2–3 teaspoons of milk or water if desired.
Serving Suggestions: In addition to serving traditionally as a salad with romaine, you can keep this dressing thick (reducing milk) and use as a dip or sandwich spread.
This sauce is luscious, creamy, and cooling, much like a whipping cream or a thinned sour cream. It is dynamite to stir into soups for a velvety, creamy texture or to drizzle on spicy dishes, pizza, baked spuds . . . just about anything!
Makes about 1¼ cups
1 cup soaked and drained raw cashews
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup water (plus extra to thin, if desired)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Using a blender or handheld blender and deep cup or jar, puree the cashews, sea salt, water, and lemon juice until very smooth. (A high-powered blender works best to give a very silky consistency.) Add extra water if needed to thin sauce, and season to taste with additional sea salt if desired. See headnote for serving ideas.
HOME-STYLE GRAVYWhile gravy is often associated with the holidays, this gravy may become a staple for your family year-round. Think beyond mashed potatoes and loaves; use it for sweet potato home fries, tempeh, rice and quinoa bowls, or ladled over steamed kale!
Makes about 1½ cups
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste or natural ketchup (omit the maple syrup if using ketchup)
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
1 medium-large clove garlic, chopped
1 cup water
1–1½ tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos to taste (see note)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
½–1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
With a handheld blender, or in a standard blender, blend the nutritional yeast, tahini, arrowroot powder, tomato paste, rosemary, garlic, water, tamari, vinegar, molasses, and maple syrup. (You can also whisk the ingredients in a saucepan instead of using a blender. Just be sure to grate or press the garlic beforehand.)
Place the mixture in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring as needed. Once it starts to boil, turn heat down and let it simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Add more vinegar to taste and/or thin with water if desired. See headnote for serving suggestions.
Tamari Note: If using coconut aminos, you may want to use up to 2 tablespoons, as it isn’t quite as intensely salty as tamari.
Kitchen Tip: If making this for a holiday dinner or large group, consider doubling the batch.
See recipe photo on page 161.
KIDS’ SLURRY SAUCEI hesitated to make an actual recipe for this, because it’s something I simply throw together week to week without measuring! I use this to toss through lunch bowls for our girls, whether using quinoa, rice, or cooked pasta. Add Chickpea Nibbles (page 77) or Simplest Marinated Baked Tofu (page 78), along with some veggies and other add-ins your kids might like, then serve up at home or pack in lunches.
Makes about ⅓ cup
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1½–2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1–1½ tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
Combine the vinegar, 1½ tablespoons of the maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of the tamari in a jar and mix. Taste, and add more maple syrup and tamari/coconut aminos to taste. Use it to season quinoa or rice, toss through hot pasta, or toss into veggies for the kiddos.
Kitchen Tip: This isn’t supposed to be a thick sauce; don’t be surprised when it turns out very thin. It’s the same consistency as vinegar or tamari, so use it much like you would those condiments.
SUPER CHEESY SPRINKLEMy kids absolutely loved my Cheesy Sprinkle recipe from Let Them Eat Vegan, but I couldn’t use the nut-based version for school lunches. Now I’ve created a nut-free version so they can enjoy it at home and at school! Both the original and the nut-free version are here for you to enjoy.
Makes about 1 cup
Nut Version:
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup raw cashews (see note)
¼ cup raw almonds or Brazil nuts
½ scant teaspoon sea salt
Nut-Free Version:
½ cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
½ scant teaspoon sea salt
To make the nut version:
Put the nutritional yeast, cashews, almonds, and sea salt in a standing blender and pulse until very fine and crumbly.
To make the nut-free version:
Put the nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, chia, pumpkin seeds, and sea salt in a standing blender and pulse until very fine and crumbly.
Don’t overprocess; just pulse through a few times until the mixture is quite fine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Serving Suggestions: Sprinkle on salads, pasta, quinoa, rice, and beans, work into sandwich fillings, and sprinkle on soups and pizza!
Our kiddos enjoy salad far more when I top it with these nibbly, tasty little croutons. They are ridiculously easy to make—and hard to stop eating!
Makes about 3 cups
1 tube (18 oz) prepared organic polenta
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
¼ scant teaspoon sea salt
⅛–¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon lemon pepper (see note)
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the polenta into ½" cubes and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with the nutritional yeast, sea salt, paprika, and lemon pepper and lightly toss through (be careful not to break up the polenta cubes). Bake for 30–35 minutes or a little longer, flipping once or twice, until golden and crispy on some of the edges. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and serve warm over salads and soups—or just nibble on them!
Pepper Note: If you don’t have lemon pepper, simply omit or add just a small amount of freshly ground black pepper.
Kitchen Tip: These croutons are best eaten fresh. If you store leftovers, they soften again and the texture isn’t so great. So, if you want to store for another time, be sure to reheat before eating.
