Family-Friendly Dressings and Sauces

Greek Goddess Dressing

If you think of creamy dressings as junk food, using this Greek yogurt blend instead of sour cream or regular mayonnaise will change your mind. Use the dressing like you’d use any ranch or Green Goddess dressing—on salads, as a dip for veggies, or as a sauce for anything your kids claim they won’t eat. It can also be used as a marinade, on top of baked potatoes, or served as a dipper for your oven fries. Now you can serve creamy dressings without the guilt.

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Peanut-Lime Dressing

This dressing is so delicious. We joke that we should serve it as a drink! Besides tasting amazing on Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad with Wonton Chips, it’s also tasty served over grilled chicken or tossed with rice noodles and green onions as a simple side dish.

View Recipe: Peanut-Lime Dressing

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Quick and convenient, this vinaigrette is a must-try. It takes five minutes to make. Plus, it’s healthier than store-bought dressings, which tend to be loaded with sugar and sodium.

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My Secret Tomato Sauce

There are some foods we all just assume are icky. Take anchovies, for example. Have you ever met a kid who thought they’d like anchovies? Anchovies add a depth of flavor to sauces that is indescribable. So the next time you make pizza or just want to jazz up some pasta, take kids outside their comfort zone and try this sauce.

View Recipe: My Secret Tomato Sauce

Pizza Sauce

With no cooking required, this is the ideal pizza sauce for busy weeknights or an impromptu pizza party. It’s low in sugar and full of flavor, and even the pickiest eaters will eat it. Freeze 1/2-cup portions in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. Add to this Pizza Dough recipe and create your own gourmet pizza.

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Barbecue Sauce

This sauce is sweet with just a touch of spice, perfect for kids and adults. If you want to make this gluten free, check the label on your Worcestershire sauce; it may contain gluten.

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Basil Oil

Fresh basil can add such a hit of flavor to so many things: soups, grilled chicken, panini, or a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad. If you’ve found fragrant, fresh basil, or have grown your own, use it in this oil. Freeze extra oil in ice-cube trays.

View Recipe: Basil Oil

Favorite Pesto

Even kids can be convinced that this pesto rocks. If you’d like to make it a few days ahead, place the pesto in a small container and pour a layer of olive oil over it before refrigerating. The oil acts like a sealant and helps keep the green color of the pesto. Just be sure to scrape off the oil before serving.

View Recipe: Favorite Pesto

Chimichurri Sauce

Parents everywhere hail that their kids love this herby, zesty sauce! Most people serve it with skirt steak, but it’s so versatile. You can spoon it over chicken and fish, or even offer it as a dip for veggies.

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Avocado Crema

Such an easy twist on guacamole, this creamy condiment is the secret weapon on fish tacos and in burritos.

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Guacamole

If you’re a purist and don’t like to gunk up guacamole with a bunch of random ingredients, here’s a super-simple recipe. This simple version is a great place to start kids on avocados.

View Recipe: Guacamole

Fresh Salsa

This is one of those recipes that only takes 15 minutes to make and tastes a million times better than anything from a jar. If you don’t have the time to dice the tomatoes, you can pulse them a few times in a food processor. The salsa won’t look as pretty, but it will taste just as fabulous.

View Recipe: Fresh Salsa

Pineapple Salsa

You’ll enjoy this pineapple salsa for extra kick on tacos. When you can find a fragrant, ripe mango, throw that in as well—it’s a refreshing combination. Kids will love topping foods such as tacos and grilled chicken with this gorgeous mix.

View Recipe: Pineapple Salsa