10 Pantry Sauces for Beginners (No Special Ingredients)

You do not need a specialty grocery store or a culinary degree to make incredible sauces at home. These 10 sauces use ingredients that are probably already sitting in your pantry and fridge right now - mayo, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, honey, and a few spices. Each one takes 10 minutes or less. If you are new to sauce-making, this list is your starting point. Master these, and you will have a sauce for every meal of the week.

1. Honey Mustard (2 Minutes)

Equal parts honey and Dijon mustard, whisked with a splash of vinegar. That is it. Our Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce adds mayo for extra creaminess, but the stripped-down pantry version works beautifully as a glaze for chicken or a dip for pretzels.

2. Sriracha Mayo (2 Minutes)

Mix mayo and Sriracha at a 2:1 ratio, add a squeeze of lime juice. Our Spicy Sriracha Mayo is the full recipe, but even this bare-bones version transforms sandwiches, burgers, and rice bowls instantly.

3. Simple Vinaigrette (3 Minutes)

Whisk 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar (any kind), add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Our Balsamic Vinaigrette is the refined version of this formula. Once you understand this ratio, you can make a different vinaigrette every night.

4. Garlic Butter (5 Minutes)

Melt butter, add minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and chopped parsley if you have it. Our Restaurant-Style Garlic Butter adds white wine for depth, but the basic version is still restaurant-worthy on steak, bread, pasta, or vegetables.

5. Teriyaki Sauce (10 Minutes)

Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger simmered until thickened. Our Teriyaki Sauce recipe gives you the full version with mirin and sesame oil, but even the four-ingredient version beats bottled teriyaki by miles.

6. Peanut Sauce (5 Minutes)

Peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, a pinch of sugar, and enough water to thin it out. Our Thai Peanut Sauce adds coconut milk and chili for complexity, but this basic version is excellent on noodles, chicken, or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.

7. BBQ Sauce (10 Minutes)

Ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes. Our Texas BBQ Sauce is the gourmet version, but this pantry version works perfectly for a quick weeknight dinner.

8. Ranch-Style Dip (3 Minutes)

Mix sour cream or mayo with garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and a splash of milk to thin. Our Outback-Style Ranch uses buttermilk and fresh herbs, but this pantry version satisfies the ranch craving when you are short on ingredients.

9. Sweet Chili Sauce (10 Minutes)

Rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes simmered and thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Our Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is the full recipe - it is a game-changer for fried foods, spring rolls, and grilled chicken.

10. Chimichurri (5 Minutes)

Chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Our Argentine Chimichurri adds oregano and lets it marinate for 30 minutes, but even a quick five-minute version is transformative on grilled steak or chicken.

Where to Go From Here

Once you are comfortable with these 10 foundations, start experimenting with variations. Add chipotle to the mayo. Swap balsamic for rice vinegar. Mix peanut butter with gochujang instead of soy sauce. For more on adjusting flavors in any sauce, read our guide on balancing acid, fat, sugar, and salt.