13 Condiments I Obsess Over!
I always have these on hand!
For as long as I can remember I have been a sauce girly! And the best part of being an adult is getting to fill my fridge with any and all sauces and condiments.
Although to this end Jeremy has noted that our fridge has “too many jars of stuff” and while some people have an extra refrigerator for beverages or freezer for meats, I would like one just for my condiments collection.
And listen, I would happily make it my life’s mission to try any and every condiment on the market, but there are 13 that I buy over and over again and will always have in my fridge.
Let’s get into it…
WAIT!
What is a Condiment? 🥫
As I was making my list I realized I didn’t know if some of the things in my fridge could land in the condiment category?! Like, is salsa a condiment? What about my sweet heat jalapeños? Is my finishing oil a condiment (although that lives on my counter).
Of course I went and asked Webster.
Condiment (noun): something (such as a seasoning, sauce, garnish, or topping) that is added to food usually after the food is prepared and that enhances or adds to its flavor.
So I think 90% of everything in my fridge is a condiment and now I will be breaking this up into two posts.
This post is about my sauce condiments! And the next one will be my garnish and seasoning condiments.
13 Saucy Condiments I Always Restock
(Most of these condiments I find at my local grocery store, Harris Teeter, but I have linked them here so you can see the description and the image of the condiment!)
Be sure to leave a comment on this post letting me know your must-have condiments. I WANT TO KNOW!!!
Bachan Japanese BBQ sauce: I use this as a dipping sauce for soup dumplings, wontons, sushi…I also use it to make stir-fry, my 10 minute ramen…it is just so insanely delicious and the ingredients list is so clean!
Duke’s Mayo: a few months ago in The Cook’s Club I did a Live taste test of popular mayo brands. We learned A LOT about mayo. And it turns out Duke’s is my favorite store-bought mayo (it even won in a blind taste test). BONUS: next week I am dropping the best caesar dressing I have ever made and I use Duke’s!
Maille Dijon Mustard: I love mustard and I am that girl that wants to try all the interesting flavored mustards out there! Dijon is a must have because I often use it to bring together quick marinades and other dressings.
Sriracha: I love this brand of sriracha for its clean ingredients and taste! I also like putting it on sushi and rice bowls.
Momofuku Soy Sauce: I was not sure this very fancy soy sauce would be worth the hype but in another taste test it was…delicious! It’s umami and salty but also there is a depth of flavor there.
French’s Yellow Mustard: I need a yellow mustard on hand at all times. I love it on sandwiches and hot dogs and pretzels!
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce: I use this hot sauce for my sweet heat wings and nothing else compares! I always have it on hand for a last minute wing craving.
Seggiano Organic Pizza sauce with Wild Oregano: forever Rao’s pizza sauce has been my go-to but I decided to put it to the test in another taste test for The Cook’s Club. I tried several store-bought pizza sauces (including Rao’s) and this one came out on top. It also won in my blind taste test.
Kewpie Mayonnaise: this is a Japanese mayo that is made with egg yolks (no egg whites like most mayos). It is rich and creamy and packed with flavor!
Makoto Yum Yum Sauce: every time we move I check to see if my local grocery store carries this yum yum sauce. This sauce is just so perfect for sushi, to drizzle over a stir-fry, and on any dish that just needs a cooling element.
Taco Bell Mild Sauce: as you all know from my recent Copy Cat Zesty Taco Bell Sauce post, I love Taco Bell. Whenever I make Crunchwrap Supremes or Crunchy tacos and I want a Taco Bell experience, I drizzle this on top!
Marzetti Ranch: I have a homemade ranch that I am obsessed with but I do not always have it on hand and for that reason, this store-bought ranch is my favorite. Clean ingredients and it’s perfect for Friday Night Pizza Night.
Red Boat Fish Sauce: this is an essential for Asian cooking. It has so much umami to it and it just gives such depth of flavor to ramen and stir-fries and dressings!
5 Kitchen Items I Love for Making & Storing Sauces
As much as I love store-bought sauces, I also LOVE making my own sauces! These are some of my favorite kitchen items to bring sauces together quickly! I call them my sauce besties!
The Beast Blender: I went back and forth on this blender for so long because I have a Vitamix that I love. But I was curious to see if I would be willing to whip up more sauces and dressings if I did not have to lug out my big Vitamix every time…the answer? Yes! I blend way more now! I love this mini blender. It is light, compact, beautiful and dishwasher safe! And it truly is a beast, I have made some very think dressings in this blender and it does the job.
Oxo Grips Containers: these containers are what I store my sauces and dressings in. I love the pour spout, the measurements on the side, and it is dishwasher safe!
Citrus Juicer: we all know how obsessed I am with this citrus press. A lot of my dressings do have some kind of citrus in them and this squeezes and juices my citrus effortlessly. Also? Dishwasher safe!
Herb Stripper: this is not a necessity but I do love it! Especially when I am making very herb heavy dressings. It just gets every leaf perfectly off the stem in record time.
Garlic Roller: fresh garlic is always a must in my sauces and dressings. More garlic is more garlic!!! This garlic roller gets the little coat off the garlic in three seconds or less. NAKED GARLIC!
Do you love sauces?! What sauce (or sauces!) are always in your fridge?!
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I love the Bachan barbecue sauce on lettuce wraps! I have been making my own dressings & am loving it - but am looking for a better every day olive oil for cooking, baking and making dressings. Do you have any recommendations? PS, I’m off Instagram these days and love seeing you on Substack!
Thank you for this list! I am excited to try these. My family is obsessed with Tessamae’s Habanero Ranch. It is ridiculously good. I also love the Yellow Bird brand and Melinda’s siracha. Thanks for sharing!