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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!
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.
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.
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.
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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via the pin.
Recipe
Awesome Sauce
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
Nutrition
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.
Katherine
perfect!!! I loved it. Easy to make and so good!
Joy
Debi, I have pinned this, because it was so good! I can’t believe how healthy it is- good for you for making your own version! Thanks for sharing this with us! 🙂
Jhady
I can’t believe I actually drooled. This is such a tasty sauce. We love to dip our cracker or corn chips to salsa and then in this.
Onica
it’s always fun to cook something new with different ingredients. I loved finding these ingredients and making this yummy dip.
Payal Bansal
Looks delicious.. never though I could make sauce out of almonds….. Will try this next weekend 🙂
Elisebet F
It’s tasty and packed full of nutrition! I love this on homemade crackers.
Danielle
Ha! Love the name! This sauce is good – I love creamy and spicy!
Debi
Yum… so good and really easy to make. I used my Blendtec and it made quick work of this. I took your advice and made tapas night. The family loved it.
Amanda
This stuff is amazing. I’ve been using it on bean burritos all week.
Becca
This is gorgeous Debi! Will have to keep my eyes open for chipotle paste. We don’t get chipotles over here. But I made it without and added some cayenne pepper instead. Nice and spicy.
She Likes Food
I love the name of this sauce and sounds like it is truly fitting! I have a feeling this is the kind of sauce I will make and put on everything I eat! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Becky
I made this for the first time today. It is delicious! My husband LOVED it. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Macey
Try Olo’s chipotle paste on Amazon. Amazing!
Becca
I try not to use oil in my cooking, do you think i could substitute some avocado to give it the richness that the oil provides?
Debi
Hi Becca! Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, I think it would work, and I think it would be super delish! An Awesome Avocado Sauce! Maybe I’ll have to try that one myself as well! Yum. Thanks for the suggestion.
Amanda
Is chipotle paste spicy?
Debi
Amanda, yes, chipotle can be spicy. It adds a nice smoky flavor as well. So, I don’t recommend leaving it out all together, but instead, add just a small amount if you don’t care for heat.
GiGi
You were NOT kidding. This is totally awesome sauce!!!
Anita
Tried this today. FANTASTIC! Used raw garlic rather than the powder. Made a huge platter of raw tapas for our picnic on this beautiful day. Thanks so much!!
megan
Do you think this would be popular to sell at a farmers market?