Sauces, Gravies & Marinades

Sauces, gravies, and marinades can add depth, moisture, heat, sweetness, or acidity to a meal without requiring a long ingredient list. This category includes versatile pantry choices for quick weeknight dishes, meal preparation, outdoor cooking, and experimenting with different cuisines.

Use the catalog to compare product specifications and features before selecting a sauce for a particular recipe or cooking method. You can also browse the wider Pantry Staples category for complementary ingredients.

How to choose a sauce, gravy, or marinade

Start with the role the product needs to play. A finishing sauce should have a flavor and texture that work when added at the table, while a cooking sauce may be designed to simmer with meat, vegetables, grains, or noodles. Marinades are typically selected for their combination of seasoning, acidity, salt, and oil, while gravies are chosen to add savory flavor and moisture to prepared foods.

Consider these questions before comparing products:

• What are you cooking? Match the flavor profile to poultry, meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, pasta, rice, or another main ingredient.
• How will you use it? Check whether the product is intended for marinating, simmering, dipping, glazing, topping, or serving as a condiment.
• What flavor balance do you prefer? Look for descriptions that indicate sweet, smoky, spicy, savory, tangy, garlicky, or mild flavors.
• How much versatility do you need? A multipurpose sauce may work across several dishes, while a specialized sauce can provide a more distinct regional or culinary style.

Main types to compare

Cooking sauces and gravies

These products can provide a base for a meal or help finish a dish. Compare thickness, seasoning intensity, and whether the sauce is ready to serve or intended to be heated and combined with other ingredients. Gravy-style products may be useful with roasted foods, mashed potatoes, meat, or vegetables.

Marinades and barbecue sauces

Marinades are useful before cooking, while barbecue sauces are often brushed on during cooking or served afterward. Compare sweet, smoky, spicy, and tangy profiles, along with the recommended applications shown in the product details. Some sauces may work as both a marinade and a finishing glaze.

Asian-inspired and international sauces

Soy-based, chili, stir-fry, dipping, and other globally inspired sauces can add concentrated flavor to noodles, rice, dumplings, vegetables, seafood, and proteins. Compare the intended cuisine, texture, and dominant flavors so the sauce complements rather than overwhelms the dish.

For additional ingredients, browse Cooking & Baking or Herbs, Spices & Seasonings.

Key features and specifications

Product details can vary considerably, even among sauces with similar names. Pay attention to:

• Ingredients and allergens: Review the ingredient statement for soy, wheat, dairy, sesame, eggs, or other ingredients relevant to your household.
• Dietary preferences: Check the listed attributes rather than assuming a sauce is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, organic, or free from a particular ingredient.
• Container format: Bottles, jars, pouches, packets, and multipacks suit different storage and usage patterns.
• Texture and consistency: Thin sauces may work well for pouring or marinating, while thicker products can be better for dipping, glazing, or coating.
• Heat level and flavor notes: Product descriptions may help distinguish mild options from hot sauces or strongly seasoned varieties.
• Storage information: Check whether the product requires refrigeration after opening and follow the label directions.

You may also find useful meal components in Canned, Jarred & Packaged Foods and Soups, Stocks & Broths.

Brands represented in the catalog

The catalog includes sauces, gravies, and marinades from brands such as McCormick & Company, Inc., Sun Maid, Kikkoman, Campbell Soup Company, Lee Kum Kee, Kraft-Heinz, Kikkoman USA, Marie Sharp's, TABASCO, Sweet Baby Ray's, Bragg, and El Yucateco. Compare individual product details within each brand rather than relying on the brand name alone, since flavor, ingredients, format, and intended use can differ across product lines.

For finishing and serving options beyond this category, Condiments & Salad Dressings may provide additional choices. Pasta & Noodles can also help when selecting sauces for noodle-based meals.

Tips for using and storing sauces

Use a separate portion for dipping when a sauce has touched raw meat or seafood. When marinating, follow the product directions and refrigerate food as appropriate. Avoid using a marinade that has contacted raw ingredients as a finishing sauce unless it has been thoroughly cooked.

Shake or stir products when the label recommends it, especially if separation is natural. After opening, follow the storage instructions and check the product label for handling guidance. For meal planning, choose formats that match how frequently the sauce will be used and whether it will be stored between meals.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a sauce and a marinade?

A sauce is commonly used during cooking or served with finished food. A marinade is used to season ingredients before cooking and may contain ingredients intended to tenderize or add moisture.

Can a cooking sauce also be used as a dip?

Some can, but suitability depends on texture, flavor, and label guidance. Compare the stated intended uses before serving a cooking sauce as a dip.

How do I choose a sauce for grilling?

Look for flavor notes that match the food and check whether the product is described for grilling, glazing, marinating, or finishing. Thick sauces may be easier to brush on, while thinner products can work well as marinades.

What should I check for dietary restrictions?

Read the full ingredient and allergen information. Do not assume that a sauce is free from gluten, soy, dairy, sesame, or other ingredients without checking the product details.

How should opened sauces be stored?

Storage requirements vary by product. Follow the label directions, including any refrigeration guidance after opening.