Dill Sauce and Crudites
Every time I throw a party, you can bet that there will be at least one and usually a selection of dips/sauces on my menu. Good for a large variety of foods, these sauces will jazz up any meal. Use them with appetizers or small dish main courses. And they do not need to be limited to just dipping. Most children grow up dipping their chicken nuggets in sauce and become adults still craving that option. When you look at these recipes, try thinking outside the box. How creative can you get when pairing these with other foods? I’d love to hear your ideas!
I gathered these from a lot of different sources over the years and honestly don’t remember where I got them. But I thought, why not put them all together in one place and make them easy to find and use! You’ll see that most of them are just a list of ingredients. Unless otherwise noted the method is the same for all of them. Simply combine all the ingredients, whisk together, and store (covered) in the refrigerator until ready to use. Most can be made a day or two in advance and many improve with time, blending the flavors.
I regularly use low-fat sour cream and mayonnaise and actually prefer them to the full-fat versions. They are creamy and have the mouthfeel you are looking for while saving you some calories. But I do not use fat-free products if at all possible. Reducing fat content is one thing, replacing it with other ingredients to imitate the original is totally different. Typically fat-free products are full of ingredients that you can’t pronounce and I try to avoid those. I would rather eat less of something than a lot of it with additives and preservatives.
Tzatziki Cucumber Dipping Sauce
I’ve selected a sample of recipes that covers a wide array of options. From Asian-inspired to Mediterranean to all-American. Try them with grilled meats and chicken, lamb burgers, steamed shrimp, poached salmon, spring rolls, pot stickers, or fresh vegetables. I started pulling the recipes together and figured I could give you two or three, but why stop there when I can give you an even dozen? All the more reasons to celebrate Festive Friday! I hope you find ways to elevate your everyday recipes to something truly special.
Have a terrific weekend!
Turmeric Horseradish Dipping Sauce
Jane’s Tips and Hints:
While I am the first to admit that I love the convenience of garlic and onion powders, using fresh aromatics is much more effective and delicious. When possible, use fresh. Always cut garlic cloves in half lengthwise and remove any sprouted center (it’s bitter).
Kitchen Skill: Whisking
Why: To blend ingredients until smooth
How: This may sound like a silly thing to explain, but it is surprising how many people do this in a very inefficient manner, tiring themselves far more quickly. Place your mixture in a large, deep bowl and hold it down at waist level. Move the whisk in a circular motion, using your arm and shoulder instead of your wrist. The whisk should start at one side of the bowl, scrape the bottom, and come up the other side, similar to the movement of folding. When done quickly you can whip cream into peaks and make any mixture lump free.
A Dozen Dipping Sauces
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 to 4 tbsp fresh mint, to taste, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced, or 1/4 tsp dry
- 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 3 shallots, minced finely
- 2 tbsp minced fresh dill
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-1/4 cups sour cream
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup prepared mustard, preferably Dijon
- 5 tbsp peanut butter
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 2-1/2 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar
- 1-1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tsp white granulated sugar
- 2 lb ripe plums, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
- 1/2 tsp red chili paste, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- Combine plums, honey, ginger, water, garlic, and chili paste in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until plums are softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add the soy sauce, and blend until smooth.
- 4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp minced shallot
- 1 tbsp minced fresh basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tsp finely minced fresh dill
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp drained capers, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups plain Greek yogurt, strained through cheesecloth until thickened
- 3 large cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, shredded, and squeezed dry
- Salt
- 3 garlic cloves, or more to taste, very finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped mint leaves
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp finely minced shallot
- 1 tsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Thank You!
Kristi Rimkus
You have some very tasty sauces in your list. The plum sauce sounds very intriguing. I can’t wait to give it a try.
Suzanne
OMG! Great idea! I love getting so many recipes in one post! All of these look scrumptious. A veggie tray shows up at our house regularly when the whole famdamily gets together. You can be sure a few of these will be on the buffet line next time!
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook
Thanks Suzanne, I love it too! There is a good mix of options here. Glad you will enjoy using them!