Awesome Sauce

What is awesome sauce?

Urban dictionary defines it as, “a beautifully assonant phrase which can and should be used on any occasion where joy and elation are expressed.” Which I think aptly applies to this delicious vegan appetizer spread.

And the taste of this no cook sauce? It’s so good.

Such a nice balance between the creamy almonds that are the base of this sauce, and the tart and tangy lemons, with the cheesiness of the nutritional yeast. The chipotle gives this amazing sauce just the right smoky heat.

What’s in a name?

Well, I decided to call this great spread awesome sauce long before I ever heard of Wendy’s S’awesome Sauce (or s awesome sauce).

Frankly, I don’t know that I’ve ever eaten at a Wendy’s so I’m not even sure what their sauce tastes like, but I do know that theirs is a mayonnaise-based sauce, which mine is not.

I’ve also recently learned of Slapfish’s awesome sauce as well. I love Slapfish, and I used to work with Andrew Gruel when I worked with Seafood for the Future at the Aquarium of the Pacific. But, similar to Wendy’s sauce, Slapfish’s sauce is also a mayo-based sauce.

My sauce is a copycat version of Bitchen’ Sauce Chipotle flavor that I originally shared back in 2014. It’s a bold southwestern flavored appetizer spread or dip that’s such a nice balance of flavors.

I believe that this company started out as a small merchant at a Farmer’s Market in San Diego. And, the easiest way to make a copycat recipe is to start by looking at the ingredients label.

Tapas for Dinner

Sometimes we have tapas for dinner. Happy hour nibbles. Simple. Nice. Fun. We make an event out of it. And that’s how I first came to love this spread. It’s perfect for Tapas.

Serve some fresh cut fruits & veggies, nuts, dips, spreads, Manchego crackers, cheeses.

We mix and match flavors to see if a sweet flavor like raspberry or honey mixes well with a strong cheese and an almond, or maybe a red pepper.

As we sit outside in the backyard and enjoy the sunset and the weather, we watch the birds and maybe the squirrels. We enjoy the simple things in life. Like the company of a wonderful person!

Tapas night planning

I was planning one of these tapas nights (we often do these on a Friday night). So, on my way home I stopped at Whole Foods Market to pick up some fun veggies and things to have for tapas night. That’s where I first encountered this amazing sauce.

I fell in love with this sauce

I immediately fell in love with the flavors. Spicy. Creamy. Complex. Smoky.

I dipped a cracker into it. Love!

I dipped veggies into it. More love! I spread it on things. I licked it off the spoon! yep, I admit it! It was that good.

Only problem is, that it comes in a little container. It was gone way too fast.

So, I set about making my own. And, the nice thing about making your own, you can suit the flavors to everything you want them to be. Want it spicier? Add more chipotle. Is it too spicy? Add less chipotle.

Mmm, I wonder what a Sriracha Awesome Sauce would taste like? I bet it would be yum!

Can I make this dipping sauce in advance?

Absolutely! The flavors in this sauce blend and meld together as they sit in the refrigerator, so it just gets better. If sauce separates, just give it a stir.

If you’re making it for a meal right away, give the sauce about an hour in the refrigerator before you eat it. Besides, the blending in the Vitamix will probably have heated it up so it’s warm, and since it’s better cool, it helps to pop it in the fridge.

How Long Does This Sauce Keep?

Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to a week. But, honestly, you’ll probably have eaten it long before then!

Let’s talk about the ingredients

Some notes and explanations about some of the ingredients for in the recipe.

Raw almonds

Raw almonds: My grocery store carries raw almonds in the produce section. I can also find them at Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and Mother’s market. Don’t worry that the almonds still have skins on them; the skins get ground up, and I think they contribute to the pretty color of the sauce.

You do not have to soak the almonds for this sauce. They simply get placed in the powerful high-speed blender and get blended up to make the amazing creamy texture of the sauce.

Grapeseed oil

I had a question from a reader once, “Is there a reason for the grapeseed oil – flavor or texture?” My answer is simple for this one. Grapeseed oil was one of the ingredients in the original store-bought dip, according to the label.

That being said, I also find that grapeseed oil doesn’t firm up the way that olive oil does when stored in the fridge. So, the grapeseed oil keeps the sauce nice and soft, and from getting too firm in the fridge.

Chipotle paste

Chipotle Paste is one of my favorite ways to use chipotle (it’s super easy!). I always have a jar in my fridge or freezer. Take a look at the Chipotle paste recipe for how to make your own.

Nutritional yeast

Nutritional Yeast Flakes have a strong flavor that’s often described as savory, nutty, or cheesy. You’ll see it used in vegan cheeses all the time. And it’s a good source of protein and vitamins.

I think it’s delicious, and I love tossing some into soups and stews for a little of that umami flavor that it provides.

It’s also high in vitamin B12, so it’s great for vegetarians and vegans to use. It can be used to add extra protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to dishes.

This sauce is good for you too

This snack’s a little high in calories, but it’s from all those good for you fats in the almonds and grapeseed oil.

Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats as are found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease.

How can I use this sauce?

Spread this in sandwiches or wraps.

Smear it on crackers and veggies.

Dip pretzels into it.

It’s so good you’ll want it on everything!