List of sauces facts for kids

A cook whisking a sauce

Sweet rujak sauce. Made of palm sugar, tamarind, peanuts, and chilli.

Sauces are super important in cooking! They are liquid or semi-liquid mixtures that add flavor, moisture, and a cool look to our food. Think of them as the secret ingredient that makes a dish go from "meh" to "wow!" Sauces can be sweet, savory, spicy, or tangy, and they come in all sorts of colors and textures. They can be served hot or cold, and they are used in almost every type of food around the world.

What are Sauces?

Steak au poivre with a peppercorn sauce

Spaghetti being prepared with tomato sauce

Sauces are usually made from a base liquid, like broth, milk, or even fruit juice, and then thickened with things like flour, cornstarch, or egg yolks. They can be simple, like a squeeze of lemon juice, or very complex, with many ingredients cooked together for hours.

Some common sauces you might know include:

Ready-Made Sauces

Ketchup

Many sauces are sold ready-made in bottles or jars, making it super easy to add flavor to your meals. These are often called "condiments" too. You probably have some of these in your fridge right now!

Here are some popular ready-made sauces:

Alfredo sauce
Barbecue sauce
Ketchup
Mustard (condiment)
Salsa
Sriracha sauce
Tabasco sauce

Different Types of Sauces

Sauces can be grouped by their main ingredients or how they are made. Let's look at some common types.

Brown Sauces

Pork fillet with Bordelaise sauce

Brown sauces usually get their color from meat juices or stock that has been browned. They are often rich and savory.

Bordelaise sauce: A classic French sauce made with red wine, shallots, and demi-glace.
Demi glace: A rich brown sauce often used as a base for other sauces.
Gravy: A sauce made from the juices of cooked meat, often thickened with flour or cornstarch.

Butter Sauces

Seared ahi tuna in a beurre blanc sauce

Butter sauces are, as the name suggests, made mostly from butter! They can be simple or mixed with other ingredients.

Beurre blanc: A warm, buttery sauce made with white wine, vinegar, and shallots. It's great with fish.
Beurre noisette: This is simply butter that has been cooked until it turns a light brown color and smells nutty.

Creamy Emulsified Sauces

Remoulade seaweed sauce

Emulsified sauces are made by mixing two liquids that normally don't blend, like oil and vinegar, into a smooth, creamy mixture. Think of how mayonnaise is made!

Aioli: A creamy sauce made with garlic, olive oil, and egg yolk.
Béarnaise sauce: A rich, buttery sauce similar to hollandaise, but with herbs like tarragon.
Hollandaise sauce: A famous French sauce made with egg yolks, melted butter, and lemon juice. It's often served with eggs Benedict or asparagus.
Mayonnaise: A thick, creamy sauce made from oil, egg yolk, and vinegar or lemon juice.
Remoulade: A tangy, creamy sauce often made with mayonnaise, mustard, and herbs.

Hot Sauces

Pique sauce

Phrik nam pla is a common hot sauce in Thai cuisine

Hot sauces bring the heat! They are usually made with chili peppers and can range from mildly spicy to super fiery.

Chili sauce: A general term for sauces made with chili peppers.
Sriracha sauce: A popular hot sauce made from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt.
Tabasco sauce: A well-known brand of hot sauce made from tabasco peppers, vinegar, and salt.

Meat-Based Sauces

Neapolitan ragù sauce atop paccheri

These sauces include meat or meat juices as a main ingredient, often simmered for a long time to develop deep flavors.

Bolognese: A thick, rich Italian meat sauce, usually served with pasta.
Ragù: A general term for a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, often slow-cooked.

Sauces from Fresh Chopped Ingredients

Fresh-ground pesto sauce, prepared with a mortar and pestle

These sauces are made by chopping or blending fresh ingredients, often herbs, garlic, and vegetables. They are usually vibrant and full of fresh flavor.

Chimichurri: A green sauce from Argentina and Uruguay, made with finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar. It's great with grilled meat.
Pesto: A famous Italian sauce made from crushed basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
Pico de gallo: A fresh salsa made with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chili peppers.

Sweet Sauces

Crème anglaise over a slice of pain d'épices

Pork with peach sauce

Sweet sauces are perfect for desserts, pancakes, or even some savory dishes.

Apple sauce: Made from cooked apples, often served with pork or as a dessert.
Caramel: A sweet, sticky sauce made by heating sugar until it turns brown.
Chocolate syrup: A sweet chocolate-flavored sauce.
Cranberry sauce: A tart and sweet sauce made from cranberries, often served with turkey.
Custard: A creamy, sweet sauce made with milk, sugar, and egg yolks.

White Sauces

Mornay sauce poured over an orecchiette pasta dish

White sauces are usually made with a base of milk or cream, thickened with a roux (butter and flour cooked together).

Alfredo sauce: A creamy Italian-American sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Béchamel sauce: One of the "mother sauces" of French cuisine, made from milk thickened with a white roux.
Mornay sauce: A cheese sauce made by adding cheese (like Gruyère or Parmesan) to a béchamel sauce.
Velouté sauce: Another "mother sauce," made from a light stock (like chicken or fish) thickened with a roux.

Sauces Around the World

Sauces are a huge part of every country's food culture. Here are just a few examples from different regions:

Africa

Maafe sauce is based upon peanuts and calvados

Harissa: A spicy chili paste from North Africa, often used as a condiment or in stews.
Maafe: A rich peanut-based sauce popular in West Africa, often served with meat and vegetables.

Asia

East Asian Sauces

Choganjang, a Korean sauce prepared with the base ingredients of ganjang (a Korean soy sauce made with fermented soybeans) and vinegar

Hoisin sauce: A thick, sweet, and savory Chinese sauce often used in stir-fries or as a dipping sauce.
Soy sauce: A fundamental seasoning in East Asian cooking, made from fermented soybeans.
Teriyaki: A Japanese cooking method and a sweet and savory sauce often used for grilling.

Southeast Asian Sauces

Traditional sambal terasi served on stone mortar with garlic and lime

A bowl of Nước chấm

Fish sauce: A salty, savory sauce made from fermented fish, widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine.
Satay sauce: A creamy, savory sauce made from ground peanuts, popular in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine.
Sambal: A spicy chili paste or sauce common in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Europe

France

Beef with espagnole sauce and fries

Rouille sauce

French cuisine is famous for its many sauces, often called the "backbone" of French cooking.

Béarnaise: A rich, buttery sauce with tarragon and shallots, great with steak.
Mayonnaise: A classic French sauce, now popular worldwide.
Rouille: A spicy garlic and chili sauce, traditionally served with fish soup.

Italy

Pizza marinara – a simple pizza prepared with marinara sauce

Sauces at a family run parilla (grill) in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Italian sauces are often simple but full of flavor, perfect for pasta and pizza.

Marinara sauce: A simple tomato sauce, often used for pasta or pizza.
Pesto alla Genovese: The famous green sauce from Genoa, Italy.
Ragù: A general term for a meat-based sauce, like Bolognese ragù.

United Kingdom

Homemade apple sauce being prepared

Mint sauce

British sauces often accompany traditional meat dishes.

Apple sauce: Sweet and tangy, often served with pork.
Gravy: A classic, savory sauce made from meat juices, served with roasts.
Mint sauce: A tangy sauce made with chopped mint, vinegar, and sugar, often served with lamb.
Worcestershire sauce: A fermented liquid condiment with a unique savory flavor.

North America

United States

Sausage gravy served atop biscuits

American cuisine has many popular sauces, some borrowed and some uniquely American.

Barbecue sauce: A sweet, smoky, or tangy sauce used for grilling and dipping.
Buffalo sauce: A spicy, buttery sauce for chicken wings.
Sausage gravy: A creamy, savory gravy with sausage pieces, often served with biscuits.

South America

Chimichurri: (Also mentioned in "Fresh Chopped Ingredients") A popular green sauce from Argentina and Uruguay, great with grilled meats.