Marinades and Sauces

Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

Here’s another twist on a traditional cheese sauce recipe. Jalapeño cheese sauce is tame enough for the whole family and plenty versatile. Smother a steak with this sauce and you’ll be very, very happy.  Drizzle it over vegetables, and you’ve … Read more

Korean Bibimbap Sauce Recipe

Korean Bibimbap Sauce

Bibimbap is actually a traditional Korean rice dish – this sauce is what you would expect to have it served with. It’s delicious with all sorts of Korean food and Asian stir fries. That said, bibimbap sauce is actually quite … Read more

Cherry hoisin sauce

Cherry Hoisin Sauce

A tangy twist to flavor-rich hoisin… Hoisin sauce is already packed full of flavor. Our homemade hoisin recipe shows the sauce in full detail – from molasses and peanut butter to Sriracha and Chinese five spice powder. It’s an experience … Read more

Candied jalapeño BBQ sauce

Candied Jalapeño BBQ Sauce

One wickedly sweet and tangy sauce… Candied jalapeños (a.k.a. cowboy candy) are a spicy food secret weapon. They are so unassuming in looks – just glistening jalapeño pepper slices – but their sweet and spicy quotient is off the charts. … Read more

Mole verde

Fresh And Fiery Mole Verde

A fresh take on mole…

When you think of mole, most think of the popular red mole sauce (mole poblano). Though mole verde (a.k.a. green mole sauce) is just as tasty, but in quite different ways. Think fresh, spicy, and slightly tart with mole verde instead of the earthy and slightly sweet taste of red mole sauce.

Tomatillo and serrano peppers provide the flavor pop here. No, this mole doesn’t use any of the holy trinity of dried chilies typical of red mole (ancho, guajillo, or pasilla) opting instead for the bright garden fresh bite of fresh serrano. This is a delicious sauce over pork dishes and enchiladas. It’s also quite good as a topper for fish tacos.

If you’re looking for an easy take on red mole, take a look at our recipe here. It’s easy to make with any well-stocked spice rack.

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Chipotle Alfredo Sauce

Chipotle Alfredo Sauce

Creamy with a touch of fire and smoke…

A simple pasta with alfredo sauce is made into something more dramatic with the inclusion of smoky chipotle peppers. Canned chipotle in adobo sauce brings a touch of smoke and fire to the table. It’s a delicious combo with the simple creaminess of alfredo sauce. Pair it with chicken or shrimp for a more hearty meal. Or thicken up the sauce a bit with some extra simmering time for something more dip-worthy.

If smokiness is not your thing, but you’re still looking for a fiery kick to your alfredo sauce, take a look at this delicious alternative. Our spicy alfredo sauce recipe uses cayenne – a more neutral flavor though with a certain uptick in kick – so the overall creamy alfredo flavor remains pure.

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Spicy Turkey Gravy

Spicy Turkey Gravy

Chipotle brings a smoky warmth…

Sure, any type of turkey gravy is pretty delicious, whether over turkey, mashed potatoes, or any of the typical sides that often accompany them. But if you’re looking for something a bit more memorable, that chipotle powder in your spice rack can be just what you need. This spicy turkey gravy has a touch of smoky warmth from the chipotle peppers that works quite well with classic turkey meals.

Feel free to adjust the amount of chipotle powder as you see fit. You could also try this recipe with chipotle in adobo sauce instead. Start with a half chipotle pepper mashed into a paste. You can also use some of that deliciously earthy adobo sauce in the mix for a spicy gravy that’s a bit more exotic.

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Pumpkin mole sauce

Pumpkin Mole Sauce

An earthy fall-focused mole…

Pumpkin season means pumpkins are…well in everything. Soups, drinks, desserts, and yes…sauces. They are particularly good with Mexican sauces like mole. And it makes sense – mole sauce is already deliciously earthy and sweet, making pumpkin – a vegetable native to Mexico – a perfect addition to the mix. Try it with chicken, steak, and really and Mexican dish as a seasonal alternative to the normal mole.

We spice up this mole beyond the mild ancho pepper with a bit of crushed red pepper. If you prefer keeping it mild just remove the red pepper flakes. It’ll have a very mild hint of heat.

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Spicy Creole sauce

Spicy Creole Sauce

Butter and spice…

This butter-based spicy Creole sauce is plenty rich with a whole lot of Southern charm. It uses a wide variety of spices off the spice rack – most of which are part of a typical Creole spice mix. So if you have a premade Creole seasoning at the ready, you could swap out the dried seasonings below for a comparable amount of seasoning (approximately three tablespoons). Note – Creole seasonings differ slightly in ingredients, so there may be a slightly different end flavor if you choose this option. Our homemade Creole seasoning recipe, for instance, includes basil and thyme in the mix.

Cayenne pepper is the spicy star here (and would also be present in a pre-made seasoning mix), but the sauce also gets a little heat from a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Adjust both to your liking (up or down). Try this sauce with fish, particularly shrimp and catfish. Or add some delicious spice to your breakfast. This sauce is oh so tasty drizzled over scrambled eggs.

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