30 Easy Vegan Sauces

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These simple Vegan Sauces are a perfect way to take bland meals to a whole new level. Whether you’re looking for creamy, cheesy, peanutty, sweet, or tangy, we’ve got it all covered here.

vegan sauce recipes photo collage

Best of all, these sauces are completely oil-free and lower in fat than their traditional counterparts because we are using only wholesome ingredients.

What sauces are vegan?

There are a number of well-known seasoning sauces that are vegan which most of us use regularly like soy sauce, vinegar, and ketchup. But, sometimes dishes just need a little more pizazz than that. That’s where these delicious healthy sauces can really make a meal special.

Be careful with some sauces that seem innocent enough but are not actually vegan like regular Worcestershire which has anchovies. Thankfully, there is a vegan version, but you do need to read the labels carefully.

Types of healthy sauces

Whether you’re looking for a peanut dipping sauce for deliciously colorful Spring Rolls or Collard Green Wraps or possibly a Creamy Alfredo Sauce for pasta, you’ll find everything needed in this list.

There are even plenty of stir-fry sauces included for those Stir-Fry Recipes that the family will love so much.

Here’s the short list of vegan sauces, and you can scroll down to the full list with photos and descriptions to see all 30+ of them that are available. I’ve just broken a few of them down into categories here to give an idea of the variety.

Creamy sauces

Creamy sauces are perfect for so many dishes and can be quite versatile like a dollop of sour cream on a piping hot baked potato. There’s a lot more in the long list at the bottom of the page.

Savory sauces

Savory sauces can be used in many different ways, and I have many more than just these three below. So, scroll on down until you see the photos of each one.

Tangy sauces

Tangy doesn’t always mean salad dressings. It can even be lime sauce to serve with fruit or cake. I have plenty more at the bottom of the page.

Sweet sauces

Sweet sauce could even include lightly sweet ones like ketchup and marinara for spaghetti, so I’ve made sure to list those in the big list below with photos.

Salad dressings

Healthy salad dressings can be used as dips as well as on salads. That’s why I have included a few here, as well as at the bottom of the page.

Marinades & Stir-Fry sauces

Talk about versatility! These sauces can be used as marinades or even in stir-fries. The three here are only to whet your appetite because there are lots more below.

Cheesy sauces

Nothing says warm and creamy like vegan cheese sauces, so I have added a few of my favorites to this list. They are perfect for making pizza, nachos, tacos, and more!

Want to turn those meals into masterpieces? Whether it’s basic rice, rice bowls, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, or anything else, we’ve got a vegan sauce for that!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

Easy Vegan Sauces

We've got alfredo sauce, bbq sauce, peanut sauce, stir fry sauce, and every kind of sauce you could need on this list. Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.

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close up of vegan fettuccine alfredo on gold spoon with wooden handle
4.54 from 15 votes

Easy Vegan Alfredo Sauce in 10-Minutes

This cashew-based vegan alfredo sauce has a rich creamy flavor that is delicious on pasta, baked potatoes, and even roasted vegetables. Amazingly, it can be made in only 10-minutes flat!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup plant milk such as almond
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspooon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch or other thickener
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

Vitamix Method

  • If using this method, there is no need to soak the cashews first. Simply place all of the ingredients into your Vitamix blender (or another powerful blender) and allow it to blend and cook the sauce at the same time. Gradually turn it up to the highest setting, and allow it to blend and cook to thicken this sauce. It will need to blend for approximately 2-minutes to thicken up.

Blender & Stovetop Method

  • Most likely if your blender isn’t high powered, you’ll need to soak the cashews in warm water for about 30 minutes or more to soften them up. This will help the sauce be nice and creamy.
  • After soaking, drain the water and add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and process until nice and smooth.
  • Then transfer the blender contents to a saucepan and cook on the stovetop on medium-high heat for approximately 5-minutes until it has thickened up to the desired consistency.
  • See more cooking tips above. Serve this sauce over pasta, baked potatoes, or roasted veggies. It even makes a nice white pizza sauce.

Video

Notes

Detailed instructions,in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above. Be sure to check out the video as well.
Tips for making this alfredo sauce
  1. For those avoiding cashews, almonds and sunflower seeds can be substituted. These do change the flavor a bit but are still quite good.
  2. Remove the sauce from the heat source immediately after reaching the consistency and creaminess desired. If left on the heat, it will continue to thicken.
  3. If the sauce becomes too thick, using either cooking method, simply add a little plant milk and it will thin right out.
  4. Check out this post about more terrific Vitamix blender recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 334mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy.  I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

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4 Comments

  1. Thank you for this compilation of sauce recipes – this is the biggest issue for me in the whole plant food lifestyle. Having them all here in one spot will make meal prep easier. Thank you so much!
    I appreciate all the ingredient information you give on your blog as well.

  2. OMG….what a wonderful saucey recipe bundle! Can’t thank you enough for this!!! It is just amazing! Thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!

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