Four Delicious Pantry Challenge Sauces You Can Make at Home
Welcome back! Today we’re creating four delicious Pantry Challenge sauces that are perfect for marinating or using as a topping for your favorite meals. These sauces are tailored to be migraine-friendly, avoiding MSG, onion powder, and fermented ingredients, making them ideal for a restricted diet. By the end of this Pantry Challenge, you’ll have Asian, honey mustard, sweet and sour, and Southwest sauces ready to elevate your meals.
Asian Sauce Recipe
To start, the Asian sauce combines vegetable oil, a touch of sesame oil, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, black pepper, and honey. Freshly grinding your black pepper enhances the flavor, making this sauce far superior to pre-ground pepper. Mix everything in a jar until the honey begins to dissolve. This sauce works beautifully as a marinade for chicken or as a quick stir-fry sauce.
Substitutions: Sub’d Vegetable Oil for Peanut/Avocado Oil (can use Avocado); Used white vinegar instead of Rice Vinegar, Used Coconut Aminos instead of Soy Sauce
Honey Mustard Sauce
Next, we’ll make a honey mustard sauce. Use olive oil, white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, regular mustard in place of Dijon, a pinch of salt, and honey for sweetness. Adjust the honey to your taste. This sauce is versatile—it’s perfect as a dipping sauce, sandwich spread, or chicken marinade. The combination of tangy mustard and sweet honey balances perfectly, making it a Pantry Challenge sauce favorite.
Substitutions: Sub’d White Vinegar for Apple Cider Vinegar, Sub’d regular mustard for Dijon Mustard
Southwest Sauce
For a Southwest twist, combine vegetable oil, vinegar, freeze-dried cilantro, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. This sauce has a bright, zesty flavor with just enough heat to spice up your meals without overwhelming them. It’s excellent for tacos, roasted vegetables, or grilled meats. Doubling the recipe is a great way to ensure you have enough for multiple meals.
Substitutions: Used Vegetable Oil, Sub’d White Vinegar for Apple Cider Vinegar
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Finally, the sweet and sour sauce uses apricot preserves, pineapple juice, white vinegar, coconut aminos, a small amount of mustard, garlic powder, salt, and paprika. This sauce offers the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, ideal for chicken, pork, or even drizzling over roasted vegetables. Even in small quantities, it packs a punch of flavor and makes a delightful addition to your Pantry Challenge sauces collection.
Substitutions: Pineapple Juice – Sub’d White Vinegar & Sugar, Omit Onion Powder
Tips for Using and Storing Your Pantry Challenge Sauces
All four sauces store well in mason jars, keeping them shelf-stable since the ingredients were originally pantry staples. You can use them immediately or pair them with frozen chicken or vegetables for quick meal prep. These sauces are flexible, so feel free to adjust the sweetness, tanginess, or spice to suit your taste.
For meal prep efficiency, consider labeling your jars and using them throughout the week. These sauces eliminate the need for pre-made, MSG-laden marinades and give you full control over flavor and ingredients.
Final Thoughts
These four migraine-friendly Pantry Challenge sauces—Asian, honey mustard, sweet and sour, and Southwest—are simple to make, versatile, and delicious. Whether you use them as marinades, toppings, or dipping sauces, they’re guaranteed to elevate your meals while staying aligned with your dietary needs.
Try making these sauces today and enjoy the convenience of homemade flavors ready for your next Pantry Challenge. If you have other sauce recipes that fit a restricted diet, I’d love to hear your suggestions!
