Grilling season is here! At least it is in the Pacific Northwest. There’s nothing like fresh grilled veggies and proteins, smothered in delicious, finger-licking sauces. Yum!
I’ve got two my favorite staple sauces to share with you. One is a sweet and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce, a riff on my Rough Rider BBQ Sauce from Vegan Diner. This sauce is so good, and is perfect to slather on everything, both before and after you grill (hello eggplant, burgers, tofu + Beyond Meat Sausages!). The second sauce I’m sharing is a garlic, lemon herb sauce, which is amazing drizzled or tossed with everything after grilling (although you can totally do before and after). The fresh punch of garlic, lemon and herbs is addictive, and you will find yourself putting this sauce on everything!
Before I get to the recipes, I wanted to share some exciting news with you! My awesome brother and I just launched a new business called Rosemary, Salt + Thyme. We are so excited to debut our new live workshops in Portland! Imagine an afternoon spent with new friends sitting around the table creating, making, and laughing while listening to music and enjoying artisan snacks (gluten-free, plant-based and peanut-free!), and delicious sips (iced tea bar!). You can find more info on our classes on the Rosemary, Salt + Thyme website here (and coming soon to Airbnb experiences).
Okay, now I’ll get back to the recipes, as you will want to make them stat, especially with Memorial weekend coming up at the end of the week. These sauces are also gluten-free + vegan (as always!), so there’s no stressing over trying to find brands that are gluten-free safe. This is a common stressor of mine with store brands.
Let me know if you make them. I’d love to hear!
xoxo Julie
Garlic Lemon Herb Sauce
Description
Move over pesto, there’s a new sauce in town! This zesty herb sauce is delicious drizzled or tossed with just about everything. Try it on grilled vegetables, boiled or grilled potatoes (for a fun twist on potato salad), over grilled tofu or even steamed veggies. It’s even delicious on sandwiches!
Ingredients
2 cups packed fresh parsley (curly leaf or flat)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons capers
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
Variation: For a little kick, add a piece of fresh jalapeño
Instructions
In food processor or blender, add parsley, olive oil, garlic, capers, lemon juice, and salt (and jalapeño, if using). Pulse or blend until parsley is well chopped, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use. This will keep in your refrigerator for several days.
Sweet + Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Description
No need to purchase barbecue sauce from the store, when you can make the best at home! This sweet, spicy and sticky sauce is also gluten-free and vegan, so no need searching the internet for safe brands without gluten. If you prefer your sauces without spice, simply omit the chipotles.
Ingredients
1 cup organic ketchup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup Grandma’s Unsulphured molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon GF soy sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
1 canned chipotle in adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (make sure it’s GF)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Optional: For a sweeter sauce, increase brown sugar to 1/2 cup (lightly packed)
Instructions
Using a blender or stick blender, blend together the ketchup, 1/4 cup water, agave, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, liquid smoke, granulated onion, and chipotle and adobo sauce, blending until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a saucepan.
Over medium heat, bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Let the sauce cool completely and refrigerate until ready to use.
