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6 Whole30 Sauces that Aren’t Mayo

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6 Whole30 Sauces that aren’t mayo that you need in your life! From spicy chimichurri to creamy lemon garlic, avocado lime, cheesy buffalo, and more. These healthy sauces will add a boost of flavor to any protein, veggie, or meal. Vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Last updated on September 27, 2020.

Overhead shot of 6 whole30 sauces in different jars with text overtop each one explaining what they are.

The best creamy Whole30 Sauces that aren’t mayo!!

Sauces make my world go round. I’ve always been obsessed with them. It first started with my love for honey mustard when I was younger. Then to regular mustard and always and forever hot sauce.

I love adding something a little sweet or spicy and creamy to my foods to give it some extra flavor.

Overhead shot of 6 jars filled with different sauces on a grey table.

My love for sauces might run in the family. If you have been to Delaware beaches, you are familiar with Thrashers’ french fries. They don’t serve ketchup and my sister used to be obsessed with ketchup when she was younger.

One time we ordered some fries and she wanted ketchup. My dad asked and the guy said he didn’t have any.

Well, that wasn’t okay with her and she just stood in the middle of the boardwalk screaming “ketchup!!!!” over and over again 😂

It wasn’t until I started looking at and reading labels that I realized what was in some of my favorite sauces. Most store-bought sauces are usually packed with a bunch of additives, sugars, and preservatives.

When switching to a whole foods approach to eating, especially when you are doing the Whole30, a lot of your favorite sauces are on the no-go list. There are some good options on the shelves now, but they can be pretty expensive. So you have to resort to making your own.

So today we are sharing 6 whole30 sauces that will go with just about any meal!

Blender filled with herbs, garlic, jalapeño, and spices.

How to make Whole30 sauces

Being a sauce fanatic, I’m totally up for the challenge of making my own sauces. I do it almost every night when making protein, veggies, and carbs. Adding different sauces can easily change the flavors to simple meals to keep it interesting.

I know homemade mayo is a staple during the Whole30 and you can do so many different things with it (like this delicious homemade chipotle mayo). But sometimes you gotta change it up. And a lot of people can’t have eggs these days. So I’m bringing you 6 Whole30 sauces that aren’t mayo!

All of the healthy sauces are egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and paleo! All you need in a Vitamix or high powered blender and some basic ingredients and pantry staples.

Half of these Whole30 sauces are made with cashews. When soaked and then blended, they have a great creamy consistency and the taste is very mild. That means you can add whatever seasonings and spices to them.

For the sauces that use cashews, all you need to do it soak and then drain them. Then add them to your blender with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. This method is used for the cashew curry, creamy lemon garlic, and cheesy buffalo sauce.

For the chimichurri and avocado sauce, just add the ingredients to the blender and blender until combined and smooth. The tahini sauce you can use mix everything together by hand. Each one takes less than 5 minutes to make!

Blended up spicy chimichurri sauce in a blender.

6 easy homemade Whole30 sauces

Whole30 spicy chimichurri sauce

A spiced-up version of your classic chimichurri. Made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, and a jalapeno for a little spice. Simply add everything to your blender and blend until your desired consistency is reached. I like mine pretty smooth with a little texture to it.

Serve it: on top of grilled meat (chicken, steak, or pork) or seafood (shrimp or salmon), on top of eggs, mixed with zucchini noodles, on top of sweet potatoes, or as a salad dressing.

Whole30 cashew curry sauce

A creamy curry sauce made with curry paste, ginger, garlic, lime juice, coconut amino, and blended cashews to make it super creamy. One of my favorites just for dipping!

Serve it: as a dip for any kind of fry (potato or veggie) or roasted veggies, mixed into a stir-fry, mixed with veggie noodles, as a dressing in a power bowl, or on top of chicken.

Whole30 creamy lemon garlic sauce

Rich and creamy lemon garlic sauce made with roasted garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and blended cashews for extra creaminess. It’s almost

Serve it: as a dip for any roasted veggies or fries, on top of meat (chicken, steak, or pork), with shrimp, or mixed with spaghetti squash or veggie pasta.

Whole30 cheesy buffalo sauce

You can never go wrong with a creamy buffalo sauce. Blended cashews, hot sauce, and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor without any dairy. This is sauce packs a kick!

Serve it: with chicken or shrimp, as a dip for any kind of fry or roasted veggies (on top of these brussels is amazing!), mixed with shredded chicken, on top of burgers, or mixed with spaghetti squash.

Whole30 tahini dressing sauce

A simple and versatile tahini dressing packed with flavor. Tahini is a creamy sauce made from ground sesame seeds. With the addition of some spices, lemon juice, and coconut aminos, it makes a delicious sauce that can be used for so many things.

Serve it: as a dressing over a salad or power bowl, as the sauce for a stir-fry, over chicken, salmon, or shrimp, or overtop roasted veggies.

Whole30 avocado lime sauce

You can never go wrong with creamy avocado sauce. This one is blended with lots of lime juice and cilantro for a little kick. The lime juice also helps keep it fresh throughout the week.

Serve it: as a dip for any kind of fry, roasted veggies, or chip (if not doing the Whole30), on top of grilled meat (chicken, steak, or pork) or seafood (shrimp or salmon), with taco or burrito bowls, in a power bowl, with eggs and potatoes for breakfast, or with lunch meat.

Blender filled with avocado, cilantro, and salt and pepper.

How to soak cashews

To soak cashews, place in a small bowl or jar, and fill with enough water to cover the cashews. Let sit for 30 minutes to overnight. The longer they sit, the softer they will be and easier to blend.

Once soaked and softened, rinse and drain. Then add to your blender and blend with some liquid and whatever else you are using.

If you forget to soak your cashews, you can place in a small bowl, cover water, and microwave for 1-2 minutes until softened. Drained and then use as you would soaked cashews.

What can you substitute for cashews in Whole30 sauces?

I love using cashews as they provide a creamy consistency with a mild flavor. A lot of people can’t have nuts though. If you can’t eat cashews, but can have other nuts, I think almonds would be a great substitute. I also think macadamia nuts would work well too.

If you can’t have any nuts, I would try sunflower seeds. It might throw off the flavors a little, but it should still work. If you are short on time, tahini, which is ground up sesame seeds, or sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) and could be a good substitute as well. If using a premade nut or seed butter, you might not need as much water when blending.

Can you freeze Whole30 sauces?

Yes! All of these healthy Whole30 sauces are freezer friendly. To freeze, you can either freeze in a jar (leaving a little room a the top for it to expand) or ice cube molds or silicone molds for individual serving sizes. If using molds, let them freeze and then transfer to a plastic bag for storage. Then just defrost when needed.

Once defrosted, you will need to mix up the sauce as freezing might cause some separation.

Whole30 sauces should last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More healthy sauces recipes

Overhead shot of a close up of 6 jars filled with different sauces in each.

Overhead shot of 6 whole30 sauces in different jars with text overtop each one explaining what they are.
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4.12 from 18 votes

6 Whole30 Sauces that Aren't Mayo

6 Whole30 Sauces that Aren't Mayo that you need in your life! From spicy chimichurri, to creamy lemon garlic, avocado lime, cheesy buffalo, and more. These healthy sauces will add a boost of flavor to any protein, veggie, or meal. Vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Healthy Sauces, Vegan Sauces, Whole30 Sauces
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup of each sauce
Calories 127kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

Spicy Chimichurri Sauce

  • 1 jalapeño, stem removed (deseed if you don't want it as spicy)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Cashew Curry Sauce

Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked & drained)*
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 head roasted garlic**
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • salt, to taste

Cheesy Buffalo Sauce

Classic Tahini Sauce

Avocado Lime Sauce

  • 2 medium-large avocados (200 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1/4 cup lime juice

Instructions

For all the sauces, except the tahini:

  • Place in a high-powered Vitamix or blender and blend until smooth (about 1 minute). For the spicy chimichurri, blend until your desired consistency.https://amzn.to/36cJ96M

For the tahini sauce:

  • All all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined.

All sauces should last about a week or more in the fridge! You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed glass jar or ice cube trays.

    Notes

    *To soak cashews, place in a small bowl or jar, and fill with enough water to cover the cashews. Let sit for 30 minutes to overnight. The longer they sit, the softer they will be and easier to blend. Once soaked and softened, rinse and drain. If you forget to soak your cashews, you can place in a small bowl, cover water, and microwave for 1-2 minutes until softened. Drained and then use the same.
    **I roasted my garlic ahead of time. To roast garlic, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the outer layers of the garlic skin off leaving the cloves still attached and chop off the top of the bulb. Place in aluminum foil and drizzle ½ teaspoon olive oil over the exposed surface of the garlic, letting the oil sink down into the cloves. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
    If you having trouble getting a smooth consistency in your Vitamix, it may depend on what model you have and how wide the base is (I have an older model that is tall and skinny). If needed, you can double the recipe, or add more liquid (which will thin out the sauce some).
    The nutrition label below is for spicy chimichurri. Here are how the rest breakdown:
    nutrition for cashew curry: 50 calories - 2g protein, 4g carbs, 3g fat, 1g fiber, 3g sugar
    nutrition for creamy lemon garlic: 60 calories - 1g protein, 3g carbs, 5g fat, 0g fiber, 1g sugar
    nutrition for cheesy buffalo: 44 calories - 2g protein, 2g carbs, 3g fat, 0g fiber, 1g sugar
    nutrition for classic tahini: 49 calories - 2g protein, 2g carbs, 4g fat, 1g fiber, 1g sugar
    nutrition for classic tahini: 42 calories - 1g protein, 3g carbs, 4g fat, 2g fiber, 0g sugar

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    6 Whole30 Sauces that Aren't Mayo
    Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)
    Calories 127 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 10g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Potassium 67mg2%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Vitamin A 20IU0%
    Vitamin C 24mg29%
    Calcium 4mg0%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!

    This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a little bit of money if you click on and purchase the products that are linked. It doesn’t cost you any extra money. The compensation helps with expenses to keep ETG up and running. I truly appreciate your support!

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    Comments

    1. Hi thank you for this informative post. I’m constantly searching for new recipes after making the decision to eat cleaner and mostly vegan. I keep running into an issue however and that is my son is highly allergic to cashews. Would you be able to suggest a substitute or is there no real substitute for cashews? I’d love to make a cheese type sauce for the boys as they are always asking for real cheese. Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

      Reply

      • Hi Amanda! That’s great you have made some transitions to a cleaner lifestyle and you are passing it along to your family. I personally haven’t tried this, but I think macadamia nuts would be a good sub. I would definitely make sure you soak them for a few hours to soften up (they are more dense) and use a high powered blender when you are blending. Hope that helps and let me know if that works!

        Reply

      • I haven’t, but they should last a week and a half in the fridge. They should be fine to freeze though! You could put them in ice cube trays so you could just defrost a little bit at a time too! Hope that helps!

        Reply

      • Hi Karen! They should last a week and a half in the fridge. They should be fine to freeze as well! I would say 6 months or so in the freezer at least. You could freeze them in ice cube trays so you could just defrost a little bit at a time too! Hope that helps.

        Reply

    5. 5 stars
      I love the post! The story about Thrashers made me giggle. Having lived in DE as a kid, I could envision the whole thing!
      I will try these sauces as I’m a sauce and mayo fan. I also want to look into the entire Whole30 eatung plan…haven’t heard much about it thus far. Currently I live in an area where only Food Lion and Wal-Mart are the stores available. I pray I can find what I need there.

      Reply

      • https://pin.it/v6kbp24y5vv33l
        Check this pin out. It’s a whole 30 Walmart shopping list. I can’t afford to shop at Whole Foods and amabout to start a whole 30 on a budget as best as I can. I do have an amazon prime account and have found a lot of whole 30 compliant snacks and condiments etc: on there that seem somewhat affordable as well. Another great place to shop on a hugger is Aldi if you have one close to you.

        Reply

      • Haha yes!! So funny they don’t have ketchup. Whole30 is great to give your body a reset and give out what foods work for you and what foods don’t. If you can’t find what you need at those stores, you can always look on Amazon! They have a bunch of great stuff you can order.

        Reply

    6. THESE ARE AWESOME! Ive recently started trying to eat a more plant based diet, and was getting a little bored. But i tried the curry sauce today and it rocks!!!!!! thank uuuuu

      Reply

    9. I was looking over the earlier comments and felt I could offer my input! First of all, all these sauces are super awesome! I’ve tried he Tahini sauce, the Lemon garlic, and a tweaked spicy cashew(with chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce it comes with in the can)- all turned out excellent. If you have nut allergies, try using sunflower seeds, or even sesame as was suggested. I had made a tofu version before, but it just lacks the creamy mouthfeel. I have tried freezing and defrosting the cashew based chipotle sauce (by the way, great with sweet potato fries), and when you thaw it completely, it looks curdled a bit, but just stir it well and use, it tastes the same. So, no worries!

      Reply

    10. The cheesy buffalo sauce is amazing!! It was good good with our roasted chicken and potatoes, my husband approves too!! Defiantly a keeper 👍

      Reply

    11. 5 stars
      Lemon garlic sauce is so good it had people triple checking it was whole30. Ive got vegan family members as well so i love having a sauce like this up my sleeve for when they visit.

      Reply

    12. 5 stars
      I made both the cheesy buffalo and the curry sauce today – they are excellent! Will definitely make double batches next time 😊

      Reply

    15. 5 stars
      Hi Kelly-

      I prepared the coconut curry sauce today and plan on using it on some chicken and salmon and roasted potatoes tomorrow. The sauce was quick to prepare and tastes yummy. Thank you for sharing.

      Golda

      Reply

    16. Hi. I noticed that you wrote tahini is ground up sunflower seeds, but it is actually ground up sesame. I’m not trying to be a know it all. It’s just that my son is severely allergic to sesame, and I’d hate for someone like him to accidentally ingest tahini after reading that.

      Reply

      • Hi Kristina! THANK YOU so much for catching that…huge typo on my end. I use tahini all the time and just mistyped. I just updated the post and appreciate you letting me know. Thank you!

        Reply

    17. So in the post you say they will last 6 months in the freezer. In the recipe notes you say 3 months. Big difference. Which is the error? Thanks!

      Reply

    19. I made the creamy lemon garlic sauce and is SO DANG GOOD!! I love how creamy it is. I am
      Not able to eat eggs right now so these sauces are perfect! I’ve used the sauce as a topping
      On a veggie and also just for dipping veggies. I can’t wait to try them all 🙂

      Reply

    20. 5 stars
      I have only tried cheesy buffalo but will be making more asap. The buffalo was great on brussel sprouts, broccoli and chicken. Will make again for sure.

      Reply

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