Creole Sauce is a versatile, effortless, and flavorful condiment that will kick any recipe up a couple of notches. Spice up your life and your meal with this classic New Orleans staple. And you can customize it as spicy or mild as you desire!
Have you ever taste-tested dinner and thought it was missing something? It happens. But that’s when I look for a spicy sauce recipe to ramp things up a bit. And Creole sauce is right up my alley.
Cajun and Creole cooking both claim this deliciousness. And since it boasts African influence, you know the pantry staples ingredients are in my kitchen. Besides, the aromatic holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers with a kiss of heat from cayenne is mouthwateringly delicious.
What Is Creole Sauce?
Red gravy is a Creole staple boasting delicious ingredients that include the holy trinity (onion, bell peppers, and celery), made even better with tomatoes, garlic, and other tasty herbs. It’s also super versatile because you can use it to dip salmon bites, smother your pasta for a Cajun spaghetti, and ramp up your soups. The best thing about Creole sauce is that it comes together in under 30 minutes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Holy Trinity – Essential ingredients of onions, celery, and green bell peppers deliver traditional Creole and Cajun flavors.
- Tomatoes – I use canned roasted tomatoes, but fresh tomatoes also work. However, you need just a bit more simmering time to thicken the sauce. (Not a bad thing.)
- Spices – This sauce’s great flavors come from garlic, oregano, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. And the optional cayenne pepper delivers an extra kick of spiciness.
- Creole Seasoning – You can use store-bought or homemade Cajun Creole seasoning for a more authentic flavor.
- Chicken Stock –The light savory flavor of chicken stock compliments the veggies and other seasonings.
- Butter provides that silky texture and buttery taste that’s 100% satisfying.
How to Make Creole Sauce
- Saute the Veggies – Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat and add oil, followed by garlic, onions, celery, bell pepper, green onions, oregano, and thyme. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until onion wilts.
- Add Liquid – Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper.
- Simmer – Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low. Simmer until the sauce slightly thickens, 15-20 minutes. Adjust with stock as needed.
- Final Stretch – Stir in the green onions and cook for another minute. Then add butter and stir until melted.
- Serve – Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve warm with fish or another fave.
Recipe Variations
- Shrimp Stock – Infuse a taste of the ocean with savory shrimp stock made from real shrimp instead of chicken stock. Shrimp broth or cubes also work.
- Seasonings – Add a dash of cumin, curry, basil, and paprika for more depth.
- More Veggies – Orange tomatoes, yellow squash, and carrots add color, taste, and texture. Cut them into chunks or mash them for a smoother finish.
- Vegetarian – Just switch out the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Tips and Tricks
- Cut the veggies into small, uniform chunks, so they cook evenly.
- No roasted tomatoes? Fresh or regular canned tomatoes will also work. The fresh tomatoes are juicier and will take a little longer to thicken.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Creole sauce is a great make-ahead recipe because it tastes even better the next day. If you’re ambitious, it cans nicely in glass jars to make it shelf-stable for a year or two.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve it fresh as a dipping sauce, over pasta, or spice up a stew.
Once cooled, transfer the sauce to a glass jar, seal it, and refrigerate for up to a week. Or package it in freezer bags, and freeze it for up to three months.
When you’re ready, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then use it in a recipe or warm it up with your salmon bites.
FAQs
First of all, a mother sauce is a base ingredient that creates all sorts of other goodness. Here’s the list: 1. white sauce (bechamel), 2. brown sauce, 3. red sauce (tomato-based), 4. light-colored sauce (clear stock and a white flour roux), and 5. Hollandaise. The Creole mother sauce is the red one with tomatoes.
Almost any dish from Creole cuisine with a tomato base enjoys the Creole sauce, but one of the famous dishes is jambalaya. It’s a signature one-skillet dish that features cooked rice with chicken and sausages. Yum!
Most Creole sauces have a roux in them which is NOT gluten-free. I thicken my sauce by letting it simmer until it’s as thick as I want. So this recipe is gluten-free.
How to Serve Creole Sauce
The sky’s the limit. Use on pizza, pasta, gumbo, jambalaya, dip fries, and salmon bites in it.
More Fantastic Creole Recipes to Try
Conclusion
This homemade Creole sauce delivers a super duper secret ingredient for anything yummy and savory! Do you have a secret ingredient to share? Let me know in the comments!
Creole Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup onions, chopped
- ⅓ cup celery, chopped
- ⅓ cup green onions, chopped
- ⅓ cup green bell peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 14-ounce can roasted tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2-3 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat and add oil, followed by garlic, onions, celery, bell pepper, green onions, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion wilts.
- Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until sauce slightly thickens, 15-20 minutes. Adjust with stock as needed.
- Stir in green onions, cook for another minute, and add butter until melted.
- Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat, and serve warm with fish or desired protein.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure to cut the veggies into small, uniform dice shapes to cook them quickly and evenly.
- No roasted tomatoes? Fresh or regular canned tomatoes will also work. The fresh tomatoes are juicier and will take a little longer to thicken.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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