Roasted red pepper and eggplant ajvar in a white bowl, with torn pita, seeded crackers and a small bowl of smoked paprika

Ajvar Sauce

There’s quite a delightful mix of flavors in the ajvar sauce. This Serbian recipe is sweet, tangy, spicy, and smoky all wrapped into one. And don’t let the word “sauce” fool you — this is a multi-purpose relish that can serve as well as a dipper or …

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A speckled white bowl of Indian mutton curry with bone-in pieces of meat in a thick gravy flecked with black pepper, garnished with curry leaves, a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick and cilantro, on a wooden board beside a bowl of basmati rice.

Indian Mutton Curry

Mutton pressure-cooked in a smooth onion-tomato gravy with warm whole spices, curry leaves, red chili powder and a lot of black pepper.

Spicy Vodka Sauce

Spicy Vodka Sauce

Amp up that penne ala vodka…

Just a little crushed red pepper brings your homemade vodka sauce to life. In this recipe, we use only a pinch (or so), but if you’re heat-inclined like us, feel free to be a little more heavy-handed in the amount used.

Spicy vodka sauce is delicious of course with penne, but any pasta will do. Or try it with baked or grilled chicken. The creamy and spicy sauce brings a whole lot of flavor to the table. 

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Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto

Cilantro Jalapeño Pesto

Cilantro and jalapeño turn a pesto Mexican, with basil holding it to the form. A no-cook sauce in ten minutes for pasta, tacos, sandwiches and fish, plus how to adjust the garlic, lime and heat.

Spicy Honey BBQ Sauce

Spicy Honey BBQ Sauce

Delicious on chicken or ribs… The mix of sweet and heat of this spicy honey BBQ sauce hits the spot. It’s perfect as a marinade for ribs or chicken when barbecuing. But don’t overlook the potential of this recipe as a dipping sauce. It’s total …

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Red pepper aioli in a white bowl, with toasted bread slices, a wedge of cheese and aioli spread on toast

Red Pepper Aioli

With only a hint of heat, this deliciously sweet and tangy red pepper aioli is family friendly and very versatile. Try it as a dipping sauce for breads and cheeses or use it as an entree sauce. It’s a simple way to boost the flavor …

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A speckled white bowl of harissa ketchup on a worn cutting board, next to a pile of crisp fries with one fry dipped in the ketchup.

Harissa Ketchup

Two ingredients and a minute of stirring: harissa paste turns plain ketchup into an earthy, gently spicy sauce for burgers, fries and anything fried.

A speckled white bowl of creamy Old Bay tartar sauce flecked with relish and capers and dusted with Old Bay, beside a plate of two golden crab cakes, one topped with a spoonful of the sauce, and two lemon wedges on an oak table.

Old Bay Tartar Sauce

Mayonnaise, sweet relish, capers and Old Bay stirred into a tartar sauce made for crab cakes, with optional cayenne for more heat.

Harissa Yogurt

Harissa Yogurt

Delicious on burgers, great as a dip…

Harissa can do no wrong in our book. Its bold mix of spices – including dried chilies, coriander, cumin, and mint – is perfect for breathing fiery life into what would otherwise be a bland dish or appetizer. This harissa yogurt recipe is excellent as a topper for burgers (and don’t forget turkey or veggie burgers…yum.) But don’t just spread harissa yogurt, use it as a dip as well. Sweet potato fries have a perfect spicy dipping sauce here. It’s also delicious with chopped raw veggies as a crudité dip.

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Piquillo Pepper Sauce

Piquillo Pepper Sauce

Sweet and smoky…

Looking for a sauce to pair with savory foods? A simple piquillo pepper sauce can deliciously do the trick. The combination of sweet and smoke that piquillos bring to the table are hard to match. We double down on the smokiness here with a little hint of smoked paprika. Pair the sauce with chorizo or steaks for a perfect salty/sweet combo. Or use the sauce to bring life to simple chicken dishes.

The sauce is not overly spicy – piquillo peppers are mild in heat (500 to 1,000 Scoville heat units) and smoked paprika is relatively mild as well. If you want extra spice, add in a dash of cayenne pepper powder to fire up the sauce.

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