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Home » Awesome Sauce

Awesome Sauce

June 7, 2021 by Debi 74 Comments

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

This delicious creamy Awesome Sauce is a dip or spread that’s filled with flavor. It’s easy to make in the food processor or blender, and it happens to be vegan.

Mix up a batch today and serve it with crackers or veggies for a perfect appetizer!

dipping a snap pea into a bowl of creamy Awesome Sauce spread that's garnished with chives and surrounded with veggies and crackers.

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

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.

creamy dip in a glass jar veggies and crackers around it.

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.

looking down into a bowl of dip with veggies around it.

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.

a jar filled with dip and a spoon that's taken a big spoonful out, almonds around the jar.

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 with skin on in a glass jar and some almonds on a white napkin in front of the jar.

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.

Bragg Liquid Aminos

Bragg Liquid Aminos are like soy sauce, with a nice salty flavor. It’s also a good source of protein. If you follow a Paleo, keto, or low carb diet, you may want to use coconut aminos instead, due to the soy in Bragg. Any of these (soy sauce, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos, or tamari) are good substitutes for each other.

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.

sauce in a glass jar with a wooden spoon on top, veggies surround the jar.

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!

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a brown bowl filled with pink Awesome Sauce topped with cilantro leaves and served with veggies, title on top.

Recipe

square crop of dip in a bowl garnished with chives, veggies and crackers around the bowl.

Awesome Sauce

Debi
This delicious creamy Awesome Sauce is a dip or spread that's filled with flavor. It's easy to make in the food processor or blender, and it happens to be vegan. Mix up a batch today and serve it with crackers or veggies for a perfect appetizer!
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings
Calories 93 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ cup raw almonds
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or oil of your choice
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons bragg liquid aminos or coconut aminos
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle paste
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in the order listed in a high-powdered blender (such as a VitaMix) or a food processor. Blend for one minute on Variable speed, turning the speed up as you blend. Turn the dial up to high, and continue to blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
  • Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. If sauce separates, just give it a stir.

Notes

Makes about 2 cups. For the serving size, I figured about 2 tablespoons per serving
Adapted from The Faux Martha

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 120mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword almonds, dip, spread, vegan
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!

Awesome Sauce | Life Currents #vegan #sauce #awesomeSauce https://lifecurrentsblog.com
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Filed Under: Appetizers, Game Day, Sauces, Condiments, & Preserves, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: almonds, appetizers, bragg liquid aminos, chili powder, Cooking, cumin, dip, Food, garlic, gluten-free, grapeseed oil, healthy, ingredients, lemons, nutritional yeast, Paleo, paprika, recipe, sauce, Snacks, appetizers, tailgating, tailgating, vegan, vegetarian

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about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

Previous Post: « Homemade Roasted Tomato Salsa
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Comments

  1. Amanda

    April 25, 2014 at 8:48 am

    I am going to try this. It looks super good and healthy!

  2. kUNGPHOO

    April 25, 2014 at 9:31 am

    Looks healthy and good! I am a dipper so this is a good recipe for me!

  3. jugglingrealfoodandreallife

    April 25, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Hi Debi. I’m stopping in from Let’s Get Real today. As everyone has said, this sauce does look awesome. It does look pretty creamy. It’s hard to believe the skins are in there also. Is there a reason for the grapeseed oil- flavor or texture? I’m more of an olive oil girl. Looking forward to making this with my kids. This sauce will be called magic sauce in our house. We can turn nuts into sauce. That must be magic!

  4. Debi

    April 25, 2014 at 9:41 am

    The original used grapeseed oil, so I stuck with that. I think olive oil will work just fine. I use both of these oils and have never really encountered any reason not to use one or the other. I love the name “Magic Sauce”! Great! Yeah, I was a little concerned about the skins as well, and in fact, I bought some slivered almonds just in case, but never needed to use them. Thanks for the comment! Cheers!

  5. Stacey Werner

    April 25, 2014 at 10:52 am

    My husband and I LOVE tapas for dinner! This looks so good… we’ll have to add it to the mix!

  6. Michele

    April 25, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    I would never have thought you could use ground up (fine) almonds to make a creamy sauce! Live and Learn! It sound delicious!

  7. Erin S.

    April 25, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    That looks so good! I am going to have to try it.

  8. Heather

    April 25, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    It looks really good! It looks a lot like humus. I’d love to that awesome sauce!

  9. Jenny

    April 25, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    Looks soooo good. I am going to have to try the Chipotle paste. I have been on this weird chipotle kick lately, probably because it’s full of YUMM.

  10. lisa

    April 25, 2014 at 6:40 pm

    It Really Looks Like AWESOME Sauce I Love Almonds So I Can’t Wait To Make!!

  11. mamatomanyblessings

    April 25, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    oh yummy, this is so versatile and sounds good with just about anything!

  12. Claudia Krusch

    April 25, 2014 at 7:19 pm

    I need to try it! It sounds so good! I love almonds!

  13. Chasity Boatman

    April 25, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    This looks healthy and tasty! Thanks for the recipe.

  14. Christy Denton

    April 25, 2014 at 9:22 pm

    Looks like a delicious and healthy alternative to the much fattier dips around

  15. Michelle

    April 25, 2014 at 9:23 pm

    Your awesome sauce looks…AWESOME! Your ingredients weren’t what I was expecting but I am trying this! I have a feeling I am going to love it. I bet its great on paninis! I can’t wait to try it! Visiting from Tasty Tuesdays!

  16. Mistee Dawn

    April 25, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    It definitely looks and sounds like Awesome Sauce. Yum! Can’t wait to try it.

  17. Rosey

    April 26, 2014 at 5:54 am

    I laughed at the name. My daughter used to say that for ‘cool.’ 🙂 It does look like awesome sauce.

  18. Emily Ploch

    April 26, 2014 at 7:31 am

    So interesting! I never knew you could do that with almonds.

  19. Felicia

    April 26, 2014 at 10:16 am

    Great photographs!! The quality is amazing and this recipe looks delicious!

  20. Amber NElson

    April 26, 2014 at 11:57 am

    That looks really good. Awesome sauce indeed!

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Hi! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents, where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes with some great desserts and other goodies mixed in! Read More >>>

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