Bowl Sauces: Six Base Formulas You Can Make in Five Minutes

A plain bowl of chicken and rice becomes dinner when the sauce is right. Restaurant sauces can seem mysterious, but nearly all of them follow a small number of patterns. Each formula below makes about ½ cup, enough for three or four bowls. Whisk or shake everything in a jar.

1. Creamy tahini-lemon

3 tbsp tahini + 2 tbsp lemon juice + 2–4 tbsp water + 1 small grated garlic clove + salt.

It will seize and thicken when the lemon goes in. Keep adding water a spoonful at a time until it is smooth and pourable. Best with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, falafel and salmon.

2. Peanut-lime

3 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp lime juice + 1 tsp honey or maple + 1 tsp grated ginger + warm water to thin.

Add chili crisp or sriracha if you want heat. Good with tofu, chicken, noodles and raw vegetables. Try it on the Thai peanut chicken bowl.

3. Soy-ginger glaze

3 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tbsp honey + 1 tsp sesame oil + 1 tsp grated ginger + 1 grated garlic clove.

Use it raw as a dressing, or simmer it with 1 tsp cornstarch mixed into a spoonful of water until glossy for a teriyaki-style glaze. See the teriyaki chicken bowl.

4. Yogurt-herb

½ cup plain Greek yogurt + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp olive oil + chopped dill or mint + salt.

Add grated, squeezed cucumber and you have tzatziki. This one adds protein too. Pair it with Greek and Mediterranean bowls such as the souvlaki chicken bowl.

5. Chimichurri

1 cup finely chopped parsley + 1 small garlic clove + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar + ⅓ cup olive oil + ½ tsp chili flakes + salt.

Chop by hand for the best texture. Rest it for 15 minutes so the flavors come together. Excellent on steak, chicken, shrimp and sweet potatoes, as in the chimichurri chicken sweet potato bowl.

6. Spicy gochujang

2 tbsp gochujang + 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tbsp honey + 1 tsp sesame oil.

Sweet, salty and warm rather than fiery. It doubles as a marinade and a glaze. See the gochujang chicken bowl.

How to fix a sauce that tastes flat

• Tastes dull: add salt or soy sauce, a pinch at a time.
• Tastes heavy: add acid, such as lemon, lime or vinegar.
• Too sharp or salty: add a little honey, or thin it with water.
• Too thick: add warm water a teaspoon at a time.

Storage

Keep sauces in small jars in the fridge. Vinaigrette-style and soy-based sauces keep about a week; yogurt and tahini sauces four to five days; chimichurri is brightest in the first three days. Shake or stir before using, and loosen thick sauces with a little water.