7 mai 2025

Batch of Plant-Based Sauces to Enhance All Your Dishes

In a vegetarian diet, it can sometimes be challenging to constantly reinvent our daily meals. However, a delicious sauce is often all it takes to transform simple vegetables or grains into a feast. Preparing sauces in advance using batch cooking is an excellent way to save time while ensuring culinary variety throughout the week. In this article, we will explore several easy-to-make plant-based sauce ideas, their storage methods, and how to pair them with different dishes to delight your taste buds effortlessly.

What is Batch Cooking and Why Apply it to Plant-Based Sauces

Batch cooking involves preparing food in large quantities and then dividing it into portions to store and use throughout the week. Applied to the world of plant-based sauces, this concept offers numerous advantages:

You will save valuable time by cooking your sauces in a single session.
You will avoid food waste by better planning your meals.
You will have a base readily available to enhance pasta, rice, or a bowl of vegetables.
You will control the quality of your ingredients and the amounts of salt and sugar.

In daily life, we sometimes lack inspiration for lunch or dinner. Thanks to batch cooking, you can imagine a wide range of sauces at once and then store them. When preparing a dish, you only need to choose the sauce that will elevate your meal. This is particularly interesting for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, as we often seek new ideas to vary our protein and nutrient intake. Sauces can indeed contain various ingredients rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, while keeping for long periods in the refrigerator or freezer.

Basic Tips for Successful Plant-Based Sauces

Before diving into specific recipes, a few basic rules are essential for successful plant-based sauces. Even if you use this moment to test your creativity, be sure to follow these important steps:

Choose quality raw materials: prioritize fresh ingredients, preferably organic, to ensure the best possible flavor and optimal nutritional intake. Seasonal vegetables will bring taste and freshness to your sauces.
Know how to balance flavors: think about the right balance between acidity, sweetness, saltiness, and umami. A splash of lemon juice, a few drops of soy sauce, or a bit of maple syrup can transform the balance of a sauce in an instant.
Play with textures: vary the consistency of your sauces. Some can be quite thick (ideal for topping a veggie burger), while others benefit from being more fluid to mix easily with pasta, rice, or noodles. Adjust the amount of water or broth so that the sauce is neither too liquid nor too compact.
Season gradually: feel free to adjust the salt, pepper, and spices as you cook. It can be helpful to let the sauce rest for a few moments and taste it before adding more spices.
Follow storage guidelines: to extend the life of your sauces, pour them into airtight containers and let them cool to room temperature before placing them in the fridge or freezer. Label your sauces with the preparation date to ensure they are consumed before they expire.

Tomato Sauce with Red Lentils

Tomato sauce is a classic. But to add consistency and protein content, you can add red lentils. Its mild and slightly sweet taste pairs wonderfully with all kinds of roasted vegetables or grains.

Ingredients

1 chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
400 g of crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned)
100 g of red lentils
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of tomato paste (optional)
½ teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper to taste
30 cl of water or vegetable broth

Preparation

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
Add the red lentils, crushed tomatoes, and water or vegetable broth.
Stir in the tomato paste if desired, then add the paprika, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper.
Simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked and the sauce thickens.
Blend if you prefer a smoother consistency, or leave as is to enjoy the texture of the lentils.

Uses

To enhance pasta or rice
As a base sauce for a vegetarian lasagna
To accompany vegetable patties
Perfect as a sauce on a vegetarian pizza

Storage

This sauce keeps in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for about 4 days. You can also freeze it and keep it for up to 2 months. If needed, let it thaw in the fridge before gently reheating.

Vegan Cheese Sauce with Cashews

Replacing cheese in a plant-based dish can be a challenge, especially when you love the creamy taste. Fortunately, there are alternatives based on cashews, which are rich in good fats and very mild in flavor. Once soaked and blended, they transform into a creamy cheese-like sauce.

Ingredients

100 g of cashews (unsalted), soaked for at least 4 hours
1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 clove of garlic (optional)
Salt and pepper
Water or plant-based milk (about 100 ml, to adjust)

Preparation

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
Place them in a blender with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Gradually add water or plant-based milk until you reach the desired consistency. The sauce should be quite thick, but not too compact.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Uses

To top hot pasta or a potato gratin
As a base for a vegan béchamel (by adding a bit of starch and plant-based milk)
As a dip sauce for crudités or appetizer crackers
In a vegetarian burger, replacing cheese sauce

Storage

This sauce keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also freeze it, although it may lose a bit of creaminess. Simply remix with a little liquid to restore a creamy texture.

Spicy Curry-Coconut Sauce

To spice up your dishes with an exotic touch, curry-coconut sauce is a must. It is simple to prepare and perfectly complements a variety of vegetables, legumes, and grains. Its creamy coconut milk base is enhanced with spices, providing an irresistible aroma.

Ingredients

1 chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 piece of fresh ginger, grated (about 2 cm)
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of curry paste (yellow, red, or green according to your taste)
400 ml of coconut milk
½ teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
Salt and pepper
Fresh coriander (optional)

Preparation

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
Stir in the curry paste, turmeric, and cumin. Mix well to coat the onions with spices.
Pour in the coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and absorbs the spices.
Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve the sauce garnished with chopped fresh coriander if desired.

Uses

On sautéed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, chickpeas)
To accompany basmati rice or rice noodles
For dipping samosas or lentil patties
To revisit a tofu or tempeh curry

Storage

Store this sauce in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Coconut milk may solidify slightly when cold. Simply reheat over low heat to restore its consistency.

Parmesan-Free Pesto Sauce

Pesto is highly appreciated for its aromatic character, especially thanks to basil and olive oil. In a plant-based version, traditional parmesan can be replaced with nutritional yeast or sunflower seeds. The result is a sauce rich in flavor and healthy.

Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh basil
50 g of pine nuts or sunflower seeds
1 clove of garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (optional)
Salt and pepper
A dash of lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

Wash and gently dry the basil leaves.
In a blender, place the pine nuts (or sunflower seeds), garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
Blend in pulses, gradually adding the basil leaves. Adjust the texture by adding olive oil if necessary. The sauce should not be too liquid.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then optionally add a splash of lemon juice for slight acidity.

Uses

On pasta or gnocchi
To flavor a pizza or sandwich
As a base for a roasted vegetable spread
To enhance the taste of a vegan omelet

Storage

Vegan pesto keeps for a few days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar. Remember to pour a light drizzle of oil on the surface to prevent the basil from oxidizing. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in a sealed bag for later use.

Sweet and Savory Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce offers a balance between sweet and savory, with an irresistible taste thanks to naturally creamy peanuts. It is often found in Asian dishes, particularly in Thai or Indonesian cuisine. It pairs wonderfully with crunchy vegetables, noodles, tofu, or tempeh.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of peanut butter (100% peanuts, no added sugar)
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of maple syrup or whole sugar
Juice of half a lime (or a lemon if needed)
1 clove of garlic, pressed (optional)
A bit of warm water to dilute if needed
Chili (fresh or powder) to taste

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the peanut butter with soy sauce and maple syrup.
Add the lime juice, garlic, and chili if you like spicy sauces. Whisk until smooth.
Adjust the texture by adding a splash of warm water if the sauce is too thick. Salt and pepper if necessary.

Uses

To accompany tofu or grilled vegetable skewers
Sauce for pad thai or stir-fried vegetable noodles
Dip for spring rolls
Mixed into a coleslaw-style cabbage salad

Storage

This sauce keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It may thicken slightly when cold. Add a bit of hot water or coconut milk to make it creamy again.

Tips for Customizing and Varying Your Sauces

Having ready-made sauces in the fridge or freezer is already an asset, but you can go even further by customizing them. Here are some tips for varying your preparations:

Add roasted or grilled vegetables to your sauces to give them more character. For example, roasted bell pepper or eggplant blended into a tomato sauce, or sautéed mushrooms in a pesto.
Try different fresh herbs according to the season: coriander, parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, etc. Each will bring a unique aroma.
Play with vegan cheeses available on the market to give more character to your sauces (e.g., melting vegan mozzarella in a tomato sauce).
Vary the oils: olive oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, flaxseed oil. Each has a distinctive taste and different nutritional properties.
Opt for different textures: add plant-based cream, coconut milk, plant-based yogurt, or blended nuts for a silky and creamy effect.

Organization and Long-Term Storage Tips

To fully enjoy your sauces throughout the week, plan your batch cooking session. Here is a small organizational guide:

List the sauces you want to prepare for the week, considering the dishes you have planned. For example, a tomato sauce for pasta, a curry-coconut sauce for a vegetable curry, a pesto for enhancing tartines, etc.
Shop accordingly, ensuring you have the right quantities of basic ingredients (vegetables, spices, legumes…).
Plan suitable containers of different sizes to store your sauces and portion them according to your needs. Glass or BPA-free plastic jars are ideal.
Once your sauces are ready, let them cool before storing. Label each jar with the name of the sauce and the preparation date. This will help you find them more easily.
Place the sauces you will use quickly in the refrigerator and freeze the others, planning practical portions to thaw. Sauces containing plant-based milk or coconut milk generally freeze well, even if their texture may change slightly.
To thaw a sauce, take it out the day before in the refrigerator or leave it at room temperature for an hour before reheating. Depending on the ingredients, it may be necessary to blend or whisk it after thawing to restore its original texture.

Quick Pairing Ideas with Your Batch Sauces

In everyday life, we often lack time or energy to cook a complete meal. With a stock of ready-made sauces, you can prepare a lunch or dinner in just a few minutes. Here are some ideas to make the most of these sauces:

Buddha Bowls: mix cooked grains (rice, quinoa, bulgur), raw or cooked vegetables, legumes (chickpeas, red beans…) and top with one of your sauces. The result is quick, complete, and super tasty.
Wraps and Burritos: take a tortilla, add raw vegetables, plant-based proteins (tofu, falafels, tempeh…), a few spoonfuls of sauce (pesto, tomato lentil sauce, peanut sauce…) then roll up for a portable meal.
Express Gratins: place your chopped vegetables in a dish, pour your Cashew Cheese Sauce or a tomato sauce over them, and cover with breadcrumbs. Bake for a quick and delicious gratin.
Impromptu Appetizers: use your sauces as dips. Peanut sauce, pesto, or cashew cheese sauce work well with crackers, vegetable sticks, or small pita breads.
Pasta Salads: when you have leftover pasta (or noodles), add vegetables, olives, dried fruits, and a sauce like vegan pesto. Mix everything and keep it in the fridge for later.

Conclusion

Preparing a batch of plant-based sauces is a simple and clever way to spice up your culinary routine without spending too much time each day. The possibilities are endless: you can draw from different world cuisines to vary flavors (Italian, Asian, Oriental…), adjust the consistency to suit various dishes, and store these sauces easily. With a few key preparations like tomato sauce with red lentils, vegan cheese sauce, spicy curry-coconut sauce, revamped pesto, and sweet and savory peanut sauce, you’ll already have a nice palette at your disposal.

Whether you’re a fan of 100% plant-based cooking or simply curious to diversify your repertoire, these sauces will surely give you ideas to innovate in the kitchen. Store them well, label them clearly, and dare to vary your pairings. This will make your dishes more delicious, more colorful, and always vegetarian. Happy batch cooking and enjoy.