30 Easy Vegan Sauces
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.
Best of all, these sauces are completely oil-free and lower in fat than their traditional counterparts because we are using only wholesome ingredients. We have everything from homemade vegan mayo to vegan brown gravy and much more!
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, black bean burgers, pasta, or anything else, we’ve got a vegan sauce for that!
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.
I use this cheese sauce for everything--nachos, tacos, pizza, baked potato and steamed veggie topping, and so much more!
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!
This gravy tastes like the stuff I grew up eating on my mashed potatoes as a kid, but it happens to be vegan and has zero artery clogging saturated animal fat.
This healthier, lower-fat version of tzatziki sauce is super simple to make and delicious on everything from salads and grilled veggies to its traditional use as a dip for falafels and other Greek foods.
Miso Sauce is a simple all-purpose sauce that is great to keep on hand for veggie bowls, salads, steamed or grilled veggies, and so much more. It even works great as a marinade.
This creamy peanut spring roll sauce can be served as a dipping sauce, stir fry sauce, or over rice dishes. With no cooking required, it’s ready in 10-minutes flat!
This delicious Marinara Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes is from OG vegan cookbook author, Dreena Burton. It's loaded with big flavor from juicy tomatoes and warm Italian spices and ready to be poured over your favorite pasta.
This easy Tahini Dressing recipe takes less than 5-minutes to make with only a handful of ingredients. It's delicious on pasta, salad, veggie bowls, falafels, and more!
Sweet and sticky homemade Teriyaki Sauce is absolutely delicious when used in stir fry recipes or even as a marinade. It only requires a few ingredients and can be ready in minutes!
I am from the Carolina's where potato salad, cole slaw, and tomato sandwiches are necessary meal staples. This was a real issue for me after switching to a plant-based lifestyle, because you know what all these foods require right? Mayonnaise!
This sweet ginger sesame sauce has so many uses. I like to use it in stir-fries and even to just season a bowl of rice. It can even be used as a dipping sauce or marinade. More recently, I found out it makes a great salad dressing as well.
Seven simple ingredients are all it takes to make this deliciously easy golden vegan gravy. It’s ready in less than 10-minutes to pour over your mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and anything else you can think of.
Ridiculously easy to make, this Vegan Cream Cheese is fabulous smeared on bagels, muffins, crackers, or celery sticks. Deliciously simple for breakfast and snacks!
This simple Strawberry Chia Seed Jam takes only 10-minutes to prepare, and it’s completely vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free (or add maple syrup).
A super simple unsweetened applesauce that is homemade and better than any store-bought brand. It can be eaten as a healthy snack or used in oil-free baking.
10-minutes is all it takes to make this delicious 4-ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce that is delicious on desserts, ice cream, apple slices, and anything else you might think of!
Zesty and full of flavor, this Tangy Tomato Dressing is fabulous over garden veggies, pasta, or greens. It's a much healthier vegan salad dressing option than the high-fat, oil-laden store-bought varieties.
This creamy, spreadable vegan butter requires only 6 simple ingredients and a blender. Spread it on toast, vegetables, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and more! It also happens to be oil-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free.
Perfectly light and fluffy, this Vegan Whipped Cream is super easy to make with only 3-ingredients and a hand mixer. It makes a fabulous topping for pies, cakes, and even hot cocoa!
This Orange Miso Ginger Dressing is deliciously refreshing when paired with a green salad, pasta, bean salad, or even used as a marinade! Five minutes and a few ingredients are all you need to make this tasty dressing recipe!
This smoky, savory, and creamy vegan chipotle sauce is the perfect match for bean burgers, veggie hoagies, baked fries, and SO MUCH MORE!
There are so many dishes that could use a great barbecue sauce to enhance the flavors. With its sweet smoky flavor, a good bbq sauce can transform a bland recipe into an culinary masterpiece. This Healthy BBQ Sauce Recipe can do just that!
I use this Asian Stir Fry Sauce with a lot of dishes besides just stir-fries including as a dip, marinade, topping for pasta, and much more.
This Vegan Nacho Cheese is incredible as a dip for baked chips as well as on fries, baked potatoes, and pizza. For healthy burritos and quesadillas, it can't be beaten! Make it with cashews or white beans.
This recipe is great on pasta and bean salads, as well as regular garden salads. With only three ingredients required, it's likely you've already got everything needed on-hand.
This Sweet Potato Cheese Sauce is packed with wholesome ingredients, amazingly delicious, and diabetes-friendly. Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and dairy-free.
This honey mustard sauce recipe is completely egg-free and dairy-free. It’s low-fat and easy to make with only 5 ingredients. Great as a salad dressing, sandwich or wrap topping, and even on baked potatoes.
This is one of the easiest stir fry sauce recipes you’ll ever make. It is kind of like an all-purpose sauce that is delicious on stir-fries and even used as a dipping sauce.
I was skeptical about dairy-free sour cream because I had always loved the dairy-version, but this tofu vegan sour cream recipe is surprisingly delicious! Creamy and tangy wonderfulness!
Making your own ketchup at home is SO easy to do with only a few ingredients in about 10-minutes. With this sugar-free vegan ketchup, you get to control exactly what goes into it.
This lime fruit sauce is bursting with flavor and perfectly delicious on fresh fruit, salads, and anything else you can think of.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Cashew Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 3-4 cloves garlic depending on the size
- 1 cup plant milk almond, soy, cashew, etc.
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon 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.
Serving Options
- Cook your pasta according to the package directions. I use several different types including whole wheat, spiral pasta, and whole wheat fettuccini.Once it has cooked, drain the water and rinse it with cool water to stop the cooking process and keep it from sticking together. I pour it into a colander over the sink to do this.
- Drizzle the cashew alfredo sauce over your pasta and enjoy! Other great ways to serve this sauce are over a baked potato, as a white sauce on veggie pizza, and drizzled over roasted veggies. The possibilities are endless!
Video
Notes
- Nut-Free Option- For those avoiding cashews, almonds and sunflower seeds can be substituted. These do change the flavor a bit but they are still quite good.
- Thickness- 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.
- Thinning- If the sauce becomes too thick, using either cooking method, simply add a little plant milk and it will thin right out.
- Storage- Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It freezes well too.
Nutrition
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.
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…
OMG….what a wonderful saucey recipe bundle! Can’t thank you enough for this!!! It is just amazing! Thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Shanasy- You are so welcome, and I hope you find lots of new favorites!
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.
Hi Olwyn- Sauces are really important in my kitchen too. They add so much flavor and are very versatile. I’m glad you’re finding this list helpful.