🌶️ Store-Bought Sauce Chemistry 🍅

November 22, 2019 8:03 AM

I like to combine Frank's Red Hot with Heinz Ketchup. I like the 'spicy-sweet' flavor profile that combining these two ready-made sauces creates. I want to experiment and find out what other ready-made, store bought condiments and sauces I can combine for similar yumminess. Please keep suggestions limited to combinations that ONLY contain ready-made condiments and sauces (mayo, Greek yogurt, and sour cream also count); I am not looking for lengthy recipes that require making things from scratch. I am looking for quick "instant" sauce combinations I can make without fuss by simply combining two or more store bought sauces.
posted by Fizz to Food & Drink (46 answers total)

Greek yogurt (mayo also works) and Worcestershire sauce.
posted by assenav at 8:06 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Mayo & BBQ sauce
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:06 AM on November 22, 2019

Sriracha + mayo = delicious spicy mayo like at cheap sushi places
posted by tatiana wishbone at 8:09 AM on November 22, 2019 [10 favorites]

Response by poster: *Also, feel free to share specific brand preferences as well. Thank you.
posted by Fizz at 8:10 AM on November 22, 2019

One squirt of Sriracha into a packet of McDonalds BBQ sauce radically improves the flavor.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:14 AM on November 22, 2019

I do this a lot and surprisingly almost anything seems to produce pretty delicious results.

Mayo + sriracha
Mayo + sriracha + ketchup
Mayo + mustard
Mayo + sriracha + mustard

Having a bunch of different hot sauces helps, i have a smoky-sweet-chipotle one that you could use in place of franks/sriracha in any of the above.

Peanut butter, soy sauce, and Gochujang are also awesome for making a quick rice-bowl sauce that works with tons of stuff.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:14 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I like to combine an Asian sweet chili sauce with mayo or plain greek yogurt (or both) for a nice sweet creamy dressing. It's great for a broccoli salad.
posted by hydra77 at 8:15 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

I am on the mayo/sriracha/ketchup (2 parts mayo, 2 parts ketchup, 1 part sriracha, or go heavier on the sriracha if you like it hot) train in a big way. Sweet potato oven fries plus this are my favourite.

Melty peanut butter and Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, or soy sauce and the chili garlic sauce are great dips/sauces for just about any starchy food, meat, sturdy vegetable.
posted by wellred at 8:18 AM on November 22, 2019

Thai sweet chili sauce + peanut butter.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:21 AM on November 22, 2019 [10 favorites]

For steak, I like to mix A-1 steak sauce with sour cream and McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. It's my favorite sauce. You just pour everything into a ramekin and stir (this is the same methodology for all the sauces below).

My mom used to make something I call "panini sauce" (because we'd put it on paninis she made) from yellow mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

I make a nice Mexican sauce by mixing an adobo paste with sour cream.

In general, mixing sour cream or mayo with something more flavorful will almost always yield good results.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:22 AM on November 22, 2019 [3 favorites]

Mustard+mayo+honey makes a quick and easy sauce for chicken, fish, etc.
Mayo+lime juice+chipotle pepper to taste (or other kicky seasoning blend)
Mayo+lemon juice+capers is so good on fish
posted by drlith at 8:22 AM on November 22, 2019

Best answer: Thinking about it a bit more, in general, various combos of

Creamy - coconut cream / mayo / yoghurt
Umami - worcester sauce, trader joe's umami paste, marmite, soy sauce
Spicy - hot sauce, sriracha, Gochujang
Tangy - ketchup, lemon juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil

Have worked well for me.

Someone should do a quick dressings+sauces combo 'cookbook'!
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:24 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

I mix kewpie mayo, sriracha, and sweet soy sauce for grilled meats and friend rice. I had it at a Benihana type.place once and it was so delicious I started making it at home.
posted by ananci at 8:24 AM on November 22, 2019

I love hot sauce + full-fat Greek yogurt + honey (especially the woodsy, fancy honey that is sort of cloudy looking, I’m blanking on the brand). I don’t mix them together into one sauce, but the combo is great if you spread the yogurt on toast and then drizzle the other two. Plus some Maldon salt on top.
posted by sallybrown at 8:25 AM on November 22, 2019

Best answer: For an interesting dip for potato chips, combine cream cheese with a bit of worcestershire sauce - just enough to color it, add some flavor, and water down the cheese a bit. You can throw it in the microwave if it's difficult to mix. (It's better if you also add a bit of garlic powder and onion powder.)

(I realize I'm stretching the 'sauce' to include cream cheese, but it's sorta related to sour cream...?)
posted by hydra77 at 8:26 AM on November 22, 2019

Honey + any kind of mustard (dijon, stone ground, yellow) = honey mustard sauce for chicken nuggets, pork tenderloin, etc

Sweet relish + mayo + a splash of dill pickle juice = tartar sauce

Ketchup + prepared horseradish = cocktail sauce for shrimp

Honey + butter = glaze for roasted veggies (can also use maple syrup instead of honey)
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:29 AM on November 22, 2019

Maple syrup + fish sauce + hot sauce of choice = another wonderful glaze for roasted vegetables (carrot and brussels sprouts especially)
posted by neroli at 8:33 AM on November 22, 2019 [3 favorites]

I have a lot of vinegars. Too many, some would say, not enough, I would say.

Malt vinegar + prepared horseradish + mayo = the ultimate superior roast beef sandwich spread
Chinese black vinegar + Toasted sesame oil + soy sauce = dumpling dipping sauce
Sherry vinegar + dijon mustard + olive oil = quick and dirty salad vinaigrette (add shallot, S&P, herbs, sugar/honey for complexity depending on time/fucks given)
White vinegar + lime zest & juice + sugar + salt = marinade for cabbage or any crunchy vegetable to go on a taco/in a salad, secret weapon to impress friends on taco night
Light rice vinegar + kewpie mayo + furikake sprinkles = chuck on rice / eat with whole surimi sticks like a beast / makes canned tuna feel special
posted by Mizu at 8:35 AM on November 22, 2019 [8 favorites]

OK not sure if these count but all the ingredients come in a jar:

Mayo + garlic powder = garlic mayo (or if you want to be fancy and can get roasted garlic in a jar, mayo + roasted garlic = aioli)
Ketchup + curry powder = curry ketchup
posted by mskyle at 8:35 AM on November 22, 2019

Mayo + ketchup + sweet relish = thousand island dressing to use on salad, reubens, burgers (like Big Mac "secret sauce")

Mayo + milk = salad dressing (it's good on a simple salad such as lettuce, tomato & cucumber)
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:40 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Laoganma Chili Crisp goes well with everything, including mayo.
posted by zamboni at 8:41 AM on November 22, 2019 [3 favorites]

ranch dressing & bbq sauce. BBQ RANCH AW YEAH. My favorite BBQ sauce is the Carolina mustard one at Trader Joe's.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:43 AM on November 22, 2019

Tamarind sauce or chutney and similar (date chutney, for example) can be added to nearly anything as a sweet-sour component - ketchup, hot sauce, add a little bit to mayo or a little mayo to it, swap it in for maple syrup in a basic mustard-maple vinaigrette. When I mix it with most standard American bottled BBQ sauces it finally tastes like my brain wants BBQ sauce to taste.

Mushroom soy sauce is so earthy-umami, I often use it as a corrector when I'm making a quick dipping sauce or dressing and my results are too light or sweet, and to complexify too-sweet ketchups or BBQ sauces. I've never put any in mayo and now I need to try that. Oddly, I used to see at least the Pearl River brand fairly often at grocery stores, but now I can't always find it even at the Asian markets with entire soy sauce aisles, so I don't know if it's not as widely distributed as it used to be or if it's just fallen out of favor.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:54 AM on November 22, 2019

You may have already seen it, but if not, check out the answers in this previously!
posted by aka burlap at 9:07 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

For anything here listed as combo of 'ketchup + x' or 'sriracha + x' you can swap out for gochujang. It's going to give you a little more sweet hot than vinegar hot with your chosen counterpart.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 9:07 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Mango chutney, mayo and/or yoghurt and a bit of Indian curry paste (i.e. basically Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall’s recipe for a simple coronation chicken). Geeta’s ‘Premium Mango Chutney’ is definitely the brand to get if it’s available where you are.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 9:08 AM on November 22, 2019

Laoganma Chili Crisp goes well with everything, including mayo.

came here to say just this. met a dude once who insisted a giant shake of msg was also required, but that was just his opinion, man.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 9:18 AM on November 22, 2019

Best answer: Franks Red Hot + Hot Fudge (or hershey's syrup). Dash of red hot in any chocolate, really.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 9:27 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

Miso and mayo—Japanese kewpie mayo—is the best veggie dip known to humankind. Great with Persian cucumber sticks, steamed broccoli. You’re welcome.
posted by bioubiou at 9:38 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

mayo + salsa = dip for nacho chips.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:50 AM on November 22, 2019

Valentina sauce + ketchup or + mayo, or + sour cream is awesome.

I like both the regular (with the yellow label) and extra hot (with the black label). It's super cheap at No Frills or Freshco (and a little pricier at Loblaws, etc.)
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:52 AM on November 22, 2019

Ketchup & HP is ultimate on Shepherd's pie, sausages, eggs, and fried mashed potatoes.

I like Plum sauce and a hot sauce with chicken finger.
posted by Ftsqg at 9:53 AM on November 22, 2019

I'm also a fan of mixing up hoisin sauce + toasted sesame oil + Huy Fong chili garlic sauce (i.e., not just their regular sambal, although that's good too) for that sweet/hot thing and just tossing some udon noodles in it.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:59 AM on November 22, 2019

Bloody Mary Dip:

Sour cream
Frank's hot sauce
Worcestershire
Celery Salt
(Horseradish optional)
posted by Gaz Errant at 10:07 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

If you're ready to go all-in with sriracha mayo, Lee Kum Lee sells a ready made version.

I find it (in the US) at Ralphs/Kroger in the condiments aisle. It comes in a pointy bottle.
posted by itesser at 10:35 AM on November 22, 2019

Honey and sriracha, plus if you have fish sauce or Worcestershire laying around, add a dash of one of those.
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:50 AM on November 22, 2019

My go-to sauce combos have already been mentioned above. But do note that if you have a sauce combo and aren't totally pleased with the level of spice...a tiny bit of Dave's Insanity sauce can fix that quite easily.
posted by BrandonW at 11:13 AM on November 22, 2019

Store-bought salsa + greek yogurt/sour cream/cottage cheese + Hot sauce. Microwaved, it's a delicious chip dip.
posted by Vhanudux at 11:34 AM on November 22, 2019

Maple Syrup and hot sauce will change your relationship with fried chicken forever.
posted by COD at 2:09 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Sour cream + salsa = chip dip

Ranch + ketchup = great on fries and tater tots
posted by kathrynm at 6:08 PM on November 22, 2019

Party meatballs!
About 1-2 hours before the party, In a slow cooker, combine:
A bag of readymade frozen fully cooked beef meatballs that you’ve thawed in the microwave
1 jar of grape jelly
1 bottle of Heinz chili sauce (It’s kind of like ketchup)
Put the slow cooker on high til it’s hot, then eat with toothpicks.
It’s cheap and surprisingly tasty. Good hearty food for the big eaters at any party.

Salty sweet soy peanut sauce:
In a microwaveable bowl or saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon each of:
Peanut butter
Soy sauce
Honey
and a drizzle of sesame oil (optional)
Heat it to melt the peanut butter, and stir til smooth... ridiculously delicious on noodles.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:30 PM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

EQUAL PARTS MISO AND MAYO is EVERYTHING.
posted by athirstforsalt at 1:31 AM on November 24, 2019

Nando's Hot/Extra Hot PeriPeri Sauce + Mayo is a quick one I use often for burgers
posted by watrlily at 4:16 AM on November 24, 2019

Party meatballs!
About 1-2 hours before the party, In a slow cooker, combine:
A bag of readymade frozen fully cooked beef meatballs that you’ve thawed in the microwave
1 jar of grape jelly
1 bottle of Heinz chili sauce (It’s kind of like ketchup)
Put the slow cooker on high til it’s hot, then eat with toothpicks.
It’s cheap and surprisingly tasty. Good hearty food for the big eaters at any party.

This same recipe also works well with Lil Smokies (bite-sized smoked sausages). I've used grape jelly with bottled BBQ sauce instead of chili sauce in this recipe as well.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 1:19 PM on November 24, 2019

Yoghurt, tahini and lemon juice is great. If lemon juice is not an option, this recipe suggests apple cider vinegar.
posted by kjs4 at 3:31 PM on November 24, 2019

My dumpling sauce: soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and a small amount of karashi (Japanese wasabi mustard, tastes a little like British Colman's mustard). Further, Karashi and ketchup or mayonnaise are really good with fried food like noodles or chicken fingers.

Another favorite vinegar to piggyback off of Mizu: Balsamic. Creamy balsamic dressing is pretty easy to make and I end up mixing it with everything when I put a little on a salad.
posted by koucha at 10:16 AM on November 26, 2019