Transforming Seasonings Into Sauces or Pastes
We're feeling saucy. Now you might be thinking, Savory is all about dry spices — so how do we make those... saucy? Well actually, many of our seasonings are based on or inspired by the flavors of classic sauces. Buffalo Wing Seasoning, Mexican Mole, and Parmesan Pesto Seasoning are just a few examples.
Because we've successfully reverse-engineered sauces into seasonings, it stands to reason that a majority (if not all) of our seasonings could be transformed into flavorful sauces, dips, and dressings. This means your spice cabinet is full of even more possibilities than you may have realized.
<!-- ANCHOR NAV -->
Which of our seasonings are secretly already sauces?
Some of our seasonings are built specifically to become a sauce, dip, or gravy the moment you add liquid — no extra recipe required.
<!-- PRODUCT CARDS: Buffalo Wing Seasoning -->
Buffalo Wing Seasoning: Combine with equal parts oil and water to make homemade buffalo sauce, or use it dry as a rub for wings.
<!-- PRODUCT CARDS: Mexican Mole -->
Mexican Mole: Mix 6 Tbsp. of this seasoning with equal parts warm water and broth, then simmer to your desired consistency for an easy mole paste.
Chimichurri Churrasco: Mix this seasoning packet with agave, lime juice, and fresh cilantro for an authentic chimichurri sauce, or use it dry as a rub.
Classic Marinara Sauce: Simmer this seasoning mix with diced tomatoes for an herby, flavorful red sauce anytime.
French Onion Gravy: Whisk this seasoning packet with water and simmer for a rich, savory onion gravy in about 10 minutes — perfect over turkey or mashed potatoes.
Greek Tzatziki Dip: Mix with Greek yogurt or sour cream for a classic dip, or thin this seasoning mix with milk or water to turn it into a sauce or dressing for gyros or grilled meats.
Cheddar Cheese Powder: Whisk this cheese powder into warm milk or cream to make a quick homemade nacho cheese sauce.
How do you turn a dry seasoning into a paste?
If you've ever poured a cup of hot milk over cocoa mix in a mug, you're probably familiar with the issue that arises: the cocoa powder clumps up, rises to the top, and it takes a whole lot of vigorous whisking to turn those clumps into drinkable hot chocolate. More often than not, you end up with a texturally challenged cup of cocoa that's spilled over the sides and made a mess. Not exactly a comforting experience.
Here's a pro tip: the first step to getting smooth distribution of a powder into a liquid is to make it into a paste first. Mix cocoa powder and sugar (or your sweetener of choice) in a mug, top it with an equal amount of hot milk, and stir it into a paste at the bottom of the mug before adding the rest of the milk. That's the same basic principle we use to turn a dry seasoning into a sauce.
The formula is simple: equal parts spice, oil, and water. This helps bring out both the water- and oil-soluble flavor compounds for you to build on. You can swap in broth, juice, or another liquid instead of water, and if you want to reduce or eliminate the oil, just substitute the same amount of liquid — the paste will be thinner, but it'll still do the trick.
Once you've made the paste, let it sit for about 5 minutes before cooking with it. That rest does two things: first, the essential oils in the spices activate once liquid hits them, which gives you the best-flavored sauce. Second — and maybe more important — once oil is in the mix, ingredients like minced garlic or onion can burn in a hot pan within seconds. Giving the paste time to rehydrate first can be the difference between a flavorful finished sauce and having to start over.
Here's the technique in action:
California Citrus Grilling Sauce
Our California Citrus Rub is a salt-free blend that's heavy on citrus and a bit spicy from crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper. It could easily go bold and spicy, but the seasoning's flavor is also an ideal match for grilled seafood or chicken — so we started with a lighter, more family-friendly sauce instead. Orange juice and a bit of butter provide body while honey beats back the heat, and parsley brings herby harmony to the whole thing.
For the paste:
- 1 Tbsp. California Citrus Rub
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. water
For the sauce:
- 1½ tsp. vegetable oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- salt, to taste (optional)
Directions: Stir the paste ingredients together thoroughly and set aside for 5 min. to rehydrate. Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the paste along with the remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 min., or until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
The same 1:1:1 formula works just as well with other blends. Our Chimichurri Rojo Dry Rub — tangy and garlicky with a kick from Aleppo chiles — makes a great steak sauce base with a splash of balsamic vinegar, ketchup, and Dijon mustard stirred in. And when it comes to Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, we might be a little biased:
"We went all the way to Jamaica to perfect this seasoning, and jerk chicken is easily the dish I make the most at my home." — Mike Johnston, Co-founder
Jerk's sweet-spiced allspice and scotch bonnet heat make it a natural match for coconut milk, pineapple juice, and a touch of brown sugar — the same jerk paste, simmered into a quick coconut sauce that's great over grilled shrimp or pork kabobs.
Can a seasoning double as a salad dressing?
Dressings are really just another kind of sauce, and several of our seasonings are built to become one with just a whisk and a few pantry staples.
Buttermilk Ranch: Whisk this seasoning into buttermilk, sour cream, or mayo for classic ranch dressing or dip.
Caesar Seasoning: Whisk with olive oil, mayo, and a splash of lemon juice for an easy homemade Caesar dressing.
Parmesan Pesto Seasoning: Stir into cream sauces for a Parmesan pesto sauce, or use this seasoning as a base to build your own pesto.
Italian Dressing Mix: For a vinaigrette, shake 1 cup olive oil, ½ cup vinegar, and 1-2 Tbsp. of this ready mix together in a jar. For a creamy version, whisk 1 cup mayo, 1 cup sour cream, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, and 2-3 Tbsp. ready mix instead.
What are some real sauce recipes made from our seasonings?
Want to see the paste-making technique taken further? A few favorites to try:
- BBQ Master Sauce: This one's built to work with whatever savory BBQ rub is already in your cabinet — no single product required, just your favorite blend as the seasoning base.
- Woody's Peach BBQ Sauce: Co-founder Janet Johnston's dad Woody shared his family peach BBQ sauce recipe with us, and it turned out to be a perfect match for our Palisade Peach Spice.
- Harissa Yogurt Sauce: Built on our Harissa Spice Mix, balanced with sweet black garlic and cool, tangy yogurt.
Browse more sauces and marinades for even more ideas, or tell us about your own seasoning-to-sauce creations!