Most diets call for a plate that’s essentially half veggies, a serving of plain protein and maybe a spoonful of healthy carbs. But all-star chefs and even nutritionists know that the secret sauce to feeling satisfied post-meal is, well, sauce. In fact, legendary French chef, Paul Bocuse once said: “If an architect makes a mistake, he grows ivy to cover it. If a doctor makes a mistake, he covers it with soil. If a cook makes a mistake, he covers it with some sauce and says it is a new recipe.”
So why not drizzle your favorite dishes (or those boring ones) with something a little extra saucy? And we mean that in the quickest and easiest way possible. These figure-friendly three-ingredient sauce recipes could not be simpler — yet still so tasty.
RELATED: 19 Ways to Add Flavor for 10 Calories or Less
The Easiest Sauce Recipes Ever
1. Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce
Many store-bought tomato sauces sneak in added sugars, preservatives and more, but not this all-natural stovetop marinara. Seek out high-quality crushed tomatoes and plenty of fresh garlic for the best results. To crank the deliciousness up even more, toss in a handful of fresh basil or oregano. Photo and recipe: Anne Danahy / Craving Something Healthy
RELATED: 6 Easy Pasta Sauce Recipes That Aren’t Marinara
2. Dijon Yogurt Sauce
A little sweet, a little tangy and satisfyingly creamy, this mustard and Greek yogurt blend would work well atop potato pancakes, spooned over eggs or slathered inside a sandwich. Photo and recipe: Sarah Bond / Live Eat Learn
3. 3-Ingredient Pesto
Make the most of your basil bounty by blending it up with just olive oil and sea salt. It’s a simpler substitution to the typical Parmesan and pine nuts combo. Even better: A 3/4-cup of basil leaves, the amount in this recipe, contains just three calories yet 18 percent of your daily dose of vitamin A. Photo and recipe: Susannah Brinkley / Feast + West
4. Killer Vegan Burger Sauce
If you like the special sauce that comes on those double-decker burgers, you’ll love this mayo, mustard and sriracha creation. Opt for olive oil mayo for the most health bang for your calorie buck and this creamy, fairly clean spread can turn any sandwich from blah to best-ever in seconds. Photo and recipe: Khushboo Kothari / Carve Your Craving
5. 3-Ingredient Asian-Style Peanut Sauce
The magical combination of spicy, sweet and salty flavors makes peanut sauce an irresistible addition to summer rolls, grilled chicken or a vegetable noodle dish. This stir-and-serve recipe features chunky peanut butter for extra crunch. Photo and recipe: April / Mama Loves Food
RELATED: 12 Crave-Worthy Peanut Butter Recipes You Haven’t Tried Yet
6. Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce
Water-soaked cashews often make up the dairy-free cream sauces, like Alfredo. They’re also the main ingredient in this blended horseradish dressing that you can use for dunking roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts or classic crudites. Photo and recipe: Mel / A Virtual Vegan
7. Quick Tomato Curry Sauce
The key to semi-homemade sauces that are skinny, too? Starting with the best base ingredients that already have layers of flavor and plenty of spices, including all-natural tomato sauce and low-sodium Thai red curry paste. Photo and recipe: Colleen / Souffle Bombay
8. Slow Cooker Applesauce
Applesauce might seem like a side, but it’s also the perfect topper for pancakes, waffles or toast. This version calls for just fruit, sugar, cinnamon and water. Cook low and slow for six to eight hours and you’ll have a sweet treat way tastier and lower in sugar than you can find in any supermarket snack pack. Photo and recipe: Blair Lonergan / The Seasoned Mom
9. Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce
Heaps of cream? Sticks of butter? No thanks. Gussy up your favorite pasta with this decadent combination of squash, garlic and a hint of Parmesan. You’ll get a lower-fat Italian entree that satisfies like the standard cream sauce — if not more so. You can thank the three grams of fiber in every cup of squash for that. Photo and recipe: Anna Hinman / Crunchy Creamy Sweet
RELATED: 12 Flavorful Butternut Squash Recipes to Fill You Up
10. Mango Habanero Sauce
Make store-bought salsa better with fresh mango and a dash of honey. (Start with a tablespoon of the sweetener, then add more to taste.) It’s the freshest seafood sauce around. Plus, an extra half-cup of diced mango boosts the vitamin C levels by 30 milligrams. Photo and recipe: Sabrina / Dinner, Then Dessert
11. 3-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
A half-cup of canned cranberry sauce packs 44 grams of sugar — almost twice the 25 grams the American Heart Association recommends women consume in a day. Make your own using real cranberries, orange segments and a quarter cup of sugar. If it’s not sweet enough for you, slowly add more sugar until you satisfy those taste buds. Photo and recipe: Sarah Mock / Savoring the Good
Read More
25 Cheap and Easy 3-Ingredient Smoothie Recipes
3-Ingredient Recipes to Save You Time and Money
30 Delicious Whole 30 Recipes You’ll Actually Love