14 amazing sauces you didn't know you needed

The whole advantage of a great sauce is to instantly transform a dish into something exciting, fun and tasty. But relying on the same old bottles of ketchup and Sriracha entirely undermines that purpose. Taking a risk on a new sauce can be tricky, especially since so many brands end up wasting away in the back of the fridge. Branch out in the right direction with these surefire picks. These are the best sauces you didn’t even know you needed.

Axel Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a go-to in Argentina and around the world, but Axel’s variety of flavored chimichurri’s add even more nuance to steak or any other dish. They’re vegan and don’t contain any preservatives to boot.
Buy it on Amazon ($30)

Bitchin' Sauce
You don’t have to search for the word to describe this sauce; it’s right in the name. It’s a healthy mix of almonds, grapeseed oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, soy protein, garlic, spices, and sea salt -- perfect for crudite, pita, or anything dippable.
Buy it on Amazon ($6)

Casa Forcello Crab Apple Mostarda
Sweet-spicy mostarda, a combo of candied fruit and mustard syrup, is an underutilized all-star of the fridge door. This crab apple version, straight from Italy, will change that.
Buy it on Amazon ($20)

Cava Green Harissa Sauce
Fast-casual chain Cava is well known for topping bowls of quality ingredients with enough zingy sauce to wake up office lunchtime. Their green harissa — based on green chillies, coriander, garlic and cumin — is perfect for workers preparing lunch at home.
Buy it on Amazon

Chick-Fil-A Sauces
The cult appeal of Chick-Fil-A extends to their amazing array of off-the-shelf sauces, from their standby original sauce to deep BBQ to fun Polyneisan sauce.
Buy the original Chick-Fil-A Sauce on Amazon ($9.40)
Buy the BBQ sauce on Amazon ($7.90)
Buy the BBQ sauce at Walmart ($11)
Buy the Garlic Herb Ranch sauce on Amazon ($8.80)
Buy the Honey Mustard sauce on Amazon ($8.71)
Buy the Polynesian sauce on Amazon ($9.34)

Kewpie Mayonnaise
A standard in many Japanese dishes and a base for more complicated make-at-home sauces, Kewpie Mayo is a staple of many households for a reason. Unlike American mayo, Kewpie only uses egg yolks, combined with rice or apple vinegar, and without added sugar or salt.
Buy it on Amazon ($10.65)
Buy it at Walmart ($5.72)

Kumana Avocado Hot Sauces
Avocados and hot sauce go together well in many dishes, so they’re a natural pairing in Kumana’s vibrant green hot sauce. Jalapeños add oomph, while avo brings creamy flavor for a hearty one-two punch.
Buy it on Amazon ($12)
Buy it from Walmart ($20)

Mike's Hot Honey
A little sweet, a little heat, Mike’s Hot Honey hits your palate on multiple fronts for an all-around flavorful experience. It’s great on wings, pizza, or grain bowls.
Buy it on Amazon ($10)
Buy it from Walmart ($8.48)

Pomegranate Molasses
Utilized in cuisines across the Middle East and Mediterranean, pomegranate molasses adds that wild card factor to lots of savory dishes, with a sweet-sour-fruity bite that can’t be replicated. For a simpler application, try it as a topping on ice cream.
Buy it on Amazon ($14)

Pommery Meaux Mustard
A far cry from your standard squeeze bottle of bright yellow mustard, this whole-grain mustard is popular in France for its artisanal packaging and full, bright flavor. The spice is subtle but present enough to keep you interested, and you can taste all the fresh ingredients.
Buy it on Amazon ($12.94)
Buy it from Walmart ($21)

Stonewall Kitchen Sriracha Aioli
Tourists often stop at Stonewall Kitchen while visiting Maine to stock up on kitchen essentials, including their killer Sriracha Aioli, a go-to condiment for burgers and fries, among other dippable treats.
Buy it on Amazon ($21)

Trader Joe's Jalapeno Sauce
You can trust Trader Joe’s to do an excellent job with this jalapeno sauce, a spice-forward condiment ideal for tacos and burgers.
Buy it on Amazon ($11.28)

Truff Truffle Infused Hot Sauces
Truffles have a reputation as a refined delicacy to be shaved over pasta at fancy restaurants, but Truff makes the rare fungus more accessible and fun through their gourmet hot sauces. They offer heat with more depth than a table hot sauce, with full flavors from real ingredients.
Buy Black Truffle Sauce on Amazon ($18)
Buy Black Truffle Sauce from Walmart ($18)
Buy Black Truffle Hotter Sauce on Amazon ($15)
Buy White Truffle Sauce on Amazon ($35)

Yamaroku Shoyu Soy Sauce
Not all soy sauce is created equal. Yamaroku creates intense soy sauce using traditional techniques, aging their soy sauce in 100-year-old Kioke wood barrels for four years before bottling. The ingredients list is short, so you get the full umami flavor of the soy. This is a condiment worthy of sushi-grade fish.
Buy it on Amazon ($58)
Buy it from Walmart ($44)
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