One of the keys to a successful Whole30 is finding some easy and versatile Whole30 sauces to go with your meals. If you have the right sugar-free, Whole30 compliant sauces, you can really throw any protein and veggie combination together and have a satisfying and healthy Whole30 meal.
Easy homemade Whole30 Sauces
It’s very easy to make your own Whole30 sauces at home. With some basic pantry ingredients (coconut aminos, fish sauce, vinegar), a handful of fresh items (herbs, lemon, lime, garlic) and some simple seasonings, you are well on your way to mixing up some delicious sauces!
Why no mayo?
We know that you can make your own mayo at home and a lot of Whole30 sauces are mayo based. Personally, we find that making mayo at home can be challenging. In addition, Erica can’t eat eggs and making a mayo without eggs doesn’t really work. We have also found two brands with excellent Whole30 compliant mayo options:
- Primal Kitchen (Use code RSG10 for 10% off your order)
- Chosen Foods
Both of these brands have excellent regular mayo that can be found in a lot of stores. They also have flavors like chipotle lime, garlic aioli, harissa and black garlic that are perfect for sauces and dipping.
Onto these easy Whole30 Sauces
Get ready for a flavor explosion! Don’t be surprised if a few of these sauces make it into your regular rotation, even after your Whole30 is over. You’ll be amazed at how a sauce, made with healthy fats and simple ingredients, can add so much flavor and variety to any meal.
Whole30 Stir-fry Sauce
A staple that can be used with just about any mixture of protein and veggies. Some of our favorite, quick and easy combos are:
- Shrimp, bell pepper, bok choy + stir-fry sauce
- Flank steak strips, broccoli, green onion + stir-fry sauce
- Chicken cubes, zucchini slices, mushrooms + stir-fry sauce
Some tips for using this sauce:
- Have leftover protein? Sauté it in a pan with some veggies and stir-fry sauce for a quick lunch.
- Add the sauce to some wilted greens for extra flavor.
- Stir some in with cauliflower rice, it will soak up all the savory goodness.
Whole30 “Cheesy” Pesto Sauce
Packed with flavor from fresh basil, artichoke hearts and lemon juice. This pesto sauce gets a “cheesy” flavor boost from nutritional yeast. Some common ways to use it:
- Mix with chicken and zoodles for some creamy pesto zoodles
- Mix with eggs, spinach and sausage for some “green eggs” (see our Jambalaya post for a bunch of Whole30 compliant sausage options)
- Mix with spaghetti squash noodles and your protein of choice
Some tips for using this sauce:
- Use as a dip for chopped up veggies for an easy snack
- Slather on cooked chicken, fish or beef for extra flavor
- Use as a topping for any bowl or salad meal (veggies + protein + pesto)
Whole30 BBQ Sauce
We created this Whole30 BBQ sauce because we couldn’t find any at the store without added sugar. We use it for recipes like:
Some tips for using this sauce:
- Use this to replace any standard store bought BBQ sauce in recipes
- It’s great slathered on any grilled meats
- Use it to add BBQ flavor to leftover protein like shredded chicken
Whole30 Creamy Garlic Sauce
This sauce is like a creamy garlic alfredo sauce – but totally Whole30 compliant! It will fill that creamy sauce craving if you are looking for some “comfort” food. Some ways you can use this sauce:
- Make creamy chicken alfredo zoodles
- Mix it with any sauteéd veggies and protein
- Add it to coleslaw for a creamy, mayo-free sauce
- Mix it into soup for extra flavor
- Use it as a dip for chicken wings
Some tips for using this sauce:
- You don’t have to soak the cashews for this sauce, it’s a time-saver!
- It’s best to heat this sauce up over low heat in a pan on the stove
- You can mix it with some bone broth when heating if you want to thin it out
Whole30 Creamy Herb Sauce
This is a tangy, herby sauce that perfect for spring and summer! It’s kind of a mix between a chimichurri and a tangy mustard sauce. You can use it for:
- Salad dressing
- A sauce for grilled meats
- Marinating chicken or pork
Some tips for using this sauce:
- You can use any kind of mustard you prefer
- Different vinegars can be used for different flavors (red wine, coconut, balsamic)
- If it’s too tangy for your taste, add a little more salt
Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This last sauce is the easiest of all! Just toss 5 ingredients into the food processor and you’ll be enjoying this delicious sauce in no time. We like to use it for:
- A topping for any bowl meal (greens/veggies/protein)
- Mixed with sauteed greens and chicken
- As a dip for pretty much anything
Some tips for using this sauce:
- Since it has avocado in it, it’s best to use it within 3-4 days
- You can extend the life of the sauce by adding some lime juice
- If you want to thin the sauce out, add a little olive oil or juices from the jar of roasted peppers
Like this Post?
SHARE IT NOW OR PIN IT FOR LATER!
6 Easy Whole30 Sauces
Ingredients
Stir-fry Sauce:
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos, (see recipe notes)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
“Cheesy” Pesto Sauce:
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 7 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup arugula
- pinch salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil, (or avocado oil)
BBQ Sauce:
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos, (see recipe notes)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
Creamy Garlic Sauce:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup raw whole cashews
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Creamy Herb Sauce:
- 1/2 cup parsley, (packed)
- 1/4 cup cilantro, (packed)
- 2 tbsp chives
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- pinch salt & pepper, (to taste)
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
- 1 avocado
- 1 jar roasted peppers, drained, (12-16 oz jar)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- pinch salt & pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
For the Stir-fry Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or jar and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the "Cheesy" Pesto Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients except for the olive oil to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse until smooth. With the processor running, slowly add in the olive oil to get a creamy consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
For the BBQ Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or jar and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the Creamy Herb Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. If the sauce is too thick, add some avocado/olive oil or juice from the roasted pepper jar and blend again. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, if you can’t find or don’t have a jar of roasted peppers, you can make your own. Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the stems and seeds from 2 bell peppers and slice them into strips. Place them on the baking sheet and drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss to coat.
- Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before using in the sauce in place of the jar of peppers.
- If you don’t have any coconut aminos on hand, you can make your own using our DIY coconut aminos substitute recipe.
Thank you for these wonderful recipes. Truly appreciated in a good kitchen. Stay safe andblessed
You’re very welcome, enjoy!
Hi, I would love to be able to store these sauces to have on hand, but never know how long sauces stay safe in the fridge. I commented on your Harissa Chicken post too and now wondering if these would all stay safe the same length of time or if it varies. How do you know? thanks!
Hi Christy – Most of these sauces will last around 5-7 days in the fridge. The way I determine it is by looking at the ingredients in the sauce and seeing how long those ingredients will last individually. Anything with fresh ingredients (like herbs) will last a shorter time (3-5 days) and other sauces like the bbq sauce that has mostly shelf stable ingredients will last longer (about 2 weeks). Hopefully that helps 🙂
I made the creamy herb and creamy garlic and they were both fantastic! I love that they are sauces that don’t include Mayo. The garlic sauces I used for more of a dip. So creamy an delicious. And the herb I used on veggies. It had the perfect amount of zest and flavor!
Love these sauces, especially the stir fry sauce! 😋
Thanks Angela, glad you like it!
I made the red pepper sauce last night and used in place of tomato sauce on zoodles. Easy and awesome.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! We love putting that sauce on just about anything! 🙂
Eas wondering if fresh herbs are not available what would be the measurement changes if any?
Thank you
I’m not sure which sauce you’re asking about specifically, but I don’t recommend making the creamy herb sauce without fresh herbs. For others, I usually recommend about 1 tsp dried herbs for every 1 tbsp fresh herbs and then adjusting to taste.
Can I use extra virgin olive oil in replace of avocado oil for the stir fry sauce?
That should work out ok. We prefer avocado oil because you don’t get the olive oil taste, and it’s better for cooking with heat. That said, if you’ve just got olive oil on hand, go for it!
Thanks! I am allergic to avocado, so I appreciate this. So many diets rely heavily in avocado.