Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (2024)

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by Mike Hultquist · · 11 Comments · Jump to Recipe

This homemade Creole sauce recipe is versatile, zesty, and very easy to make. It' starts with a roux, lots of vegetables and seasonings, and tomatoes. Make it mild or spicy.

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (1)

Creole Sauce Recipe

Having a simple, flavorful basic red sauce recipe on hand is pretty key for quick and easy meals. I like quick and easy. The key is to use flavorful ingredients and let them do all the work.

Case in point - this very Easy Creole Sauce Recipe.

Not only does it whip together in practically no time, it is HUGE on that zesty flavor that we all crave. It's also wonderful served up in a few different ways, which I will discuss below.

Like much of Cajun or Creole cooking, it all starts with a roux. You cook down oil and flour to form a slurry-like roux, then add in your Holy Trinity of vegetables - onion, bell peppers and celery. Along with garlic, of course.

Then layer in flavor with either fresh or canned tomatoes and lots of seasonings. It looks like a tomato sauce, but it's really so much more than that. Believe me.

Let's talk about how to make Creole sauce, shall we?

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (2)

Creole Sauce Ingredients Needed

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (use bell peppers for a milder version – I used jalapenos and red bell pepper)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (or use 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes for extra flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning blend (see recipe notes) - I like to add extra cayenne pepper, too
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Hot sauce to taste (Crystal preferably, or similar, about 2-3 tablespoons is good)
  • 1 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (Sriracha is good here)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Juice from 1 lemon

How to Make Creole Sauce Recipe

First, heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the flour. Stir to form a roux. Continually stir the roux until it starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Learn more about How to Make a Roux.

You can stir longer to get a darker color if you prefer.

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (3)

Next, stir in the chicken stock. The roux will thicken up in the pan.

Add the peppers, onion and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (4)

Add the garlic and cook another minute, until you can smell that gorgeous garlic.

Stir in the butter, tomatoes, Creole seasonings, Worcestershire, vinegar, hot sauce and sweet chili sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper.

Some optional additional ingredients include bay leaves, oregano and basil, to your preference.

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (5)

It's nice and chunky at this point, but it will break down the longer you cook it.

Bring the sauce a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. You can simmer longer to develop more flavor.

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Serve as desired! Perfect with Creole cuisine!

Adjusting the Heat and Spice Factor

I used jalapeno peppers for a bit of heat and flavor, but you can make a milder version with bell peppers. You'll still get a TON of flavor.

If you prefer a hotter version, go with serrano peppers or toss in something hotter, like a habanero or a ghost pepper.

You can also include more Creole or Cajun seasonings, and include either extra hot sauce or a spicier hot sauce blend.

Serving Ideas for Creole Sauce

There are so many ways you can serve this sauce. Use it as you would use a pasta sauce, with noodles, for a Cajun-Creole version of your favorite pasta. Think spicy spaghetti!

It is excellent with fish, chicken or shrimp.

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover Creole sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can easily make it ahead.

You can also freeze it for up to 6 months in freezer containers. It freezes very nicely.

Check Out My Other Cajun and Creole Recipes

  • Shrimp and Grits
  • Shrimp Creole
  • Cajun Shrimp
  • Creole Chicken
  • Cajun Pasta with Shrimp and Andouille.
Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (6)

That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it turns out for you.

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS.Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! - Mike H.

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (7)

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Easy Creole Sauce Recipe

This homemade Creole sauce recipe is versatile, zesty, and very easy to make. It' starts with a roux, lots of vegetables and seasonings, and tomatoes. Make it mild or spicy.

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cajun, creole, recipe, sauce, spicy

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Calories: 147kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 6

Tap or hover to scale

4.80 from 5 votes

Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 jalapeno peppers chopped (use bell peppers for a milder version – I used jalapenos and red bell pepper)
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 pounds tomatoes chopped (or use 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes for extra flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning blend see recipe notes
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Hot sauce to taste Crystal preferably, or similar, about 2-3 tablespoons is good
  • 1 tablespoons sweet chili sauce Sriracha is good here
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Juice from 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the flour. Stir to form a roux. Continually stir the roux until it starts to brown, about 15 minutes. You can stir longer to get a darker color if you prefer.

  • Stir in the chicken stock. The roux will thicken up in the pan.

  • Add the peppers, onion and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.

  • Add the garlic and cook another minute, until you can smell that gorgeous garlic.

  • Stir in the butter, tomatoes, Creole seasonings, Worcestershire, vinegar, hot sauce and sweet chili sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper.

  • Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. You can simmer longer to develop more flavor.

  • Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

  • Serve as desired!

Notes

Heat Factor: Medium. You can easily up the heat factor with spicier peppers and hotter hot sauce choices.

Check out my homemade Cajun seasoning blend. Or, use your own favorite store bought blend.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 521mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2150IUVitamin C: 30.4mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1.1mg

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (8)

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Misty Crump says

    This is amazing on Meatloaf or over grits for breakfast.

    Reply

  2. Janice says

    Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (9)
    Well, still in the Pot. Little apprehensive, cause winged it from your list for spice mix. I do mostly Italian/Greek and Tex/Mex mostly, but want to adventure out some.

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      4 stars for the wing? LOL. Did you like it, Janice?? I hope so.

      Reply

  3. Jérémie says

    Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (10)
    With your awesome site and all the recipes I made from here, you taught me Creole and Cajun cuisine ..so I added the holy trinity before the broth 😉 I used this gorgeous sauce with leftover roast pork: awesome! thanks, Chef Mike!

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Perfect, Jérémie! I love it.

      Reply

  4. Stacy says

    Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (11)
    This was amazing! Perfect level of spice and it was super yummy over pasta with some Cajun chicken.

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Thanks, Stacy!

      Reply

  5. Gary Finch says

    Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (12)
    love this....my family don't do hot so this is a great freezer sauce for me when they are having something less tasty

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Excellent, Gary! All for you! =)

      Reply

  6. Jim says

    Don't know if it makes a difference, but I usually add the trinity to the roux and cook it down and then add the stock or other liquid. Going to have to give this a try with one of the hotter peppers. Jalapenos just aren't cutting it for me these days!

    Reply

    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (13)
      Jim, I do the same thing when making gumbo. I've found it works well both ways. Yes on the hotter peppers!

      Reply

Easy Creole Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a Creole sauce made of? ›

This classic Creole sauce is made with canned tomatoes, celery, colorful bell peppers, onions, and garlic, along with seasonings and herbs that make it extra flavorful. This sauce is delicious spooned over shrimp and grits, fried eggplant, or chicken breasts. It can also be an unconventional pasta sauce.

What is creamy creole sauce made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  2. 1 cup diced onions (about 1 medium)
  3. 1/2 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
  4. 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
  5. 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
  6. 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes.
  7. 2 cups low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock.

What is Suprême sauce made of? ›

According the Larousse Gastronomique, a seminal work of French haute cuisine, first published in 1938, suprême sauce is made from the mother sauce velouté (white stock thickened with a white roux—in the case of suprême sauce, chicken stock is usually preferred), reduced with heavy cream or crème fraîche, and then ...

What is Southern Creole sauce? ›

Creole sauce, also referred to as "red gravy", creole tomato sauce, and sauce piquant in New Orleans, is a Creole cuisine, Haitian cuisine, and New Orleans cuisine sauce made by sauteeing vegetables in butter and olive oil. It is used in the American south.

What is a substitute for Creole sauce? ›

If you find yourself in a bind, any Cajun seasoning blend will be a perfect substitute for Creole seasoning, as it has a similar flavor profile of spice mixes and dried herbs. You can also use some other seasoning brands like Old Bay Seasoning.

What is the difference between Creole and Cajun sauce? ›

One of the simplest distinctions is the use of tomatoes: Creole dishes typically contain tomatoes or tomato-based sauces while traditional Cajun food does not.

What mother sauce is Creole made from? ›

Mother Tomato: Salt pork, mirepoix, tomato, tomato puree, sachet (thyme, bay leaves, garlic, parsley, peppercorns), salt, sugar, white stock, pork bones. Small tomato sauces: Creole (onion, celery, garlic, green pepper, hot pepper sauce). Milanaise (mushrooms, ham, tongue). Spanish (mushrooms, black or green olives).

What is Creole mayo made of? ›

For this spread, combine your favorite brand of mayonnaise (or homemade, if you want to overachieve), minced shallot, Creole mustard, white wine vinegar, and Creole seasoning in a bowl. Chill the mixture until ready to serve, and proceed to add this addicting spread to anything your heart pleases.

What is Louisiana style sauce? ›

The product is among hot sauces manufactured in the "Louisiana style," whereby cooked and ground chili peppers are combined with vinegar and salt, and then left to ferment during the aging process. In 2001, over 200,000 bottles of hot sauce were manufactured daily in various sizes.

What is Barbie sauce? ›

The special sauce of sorts, which is a mix of vegan mayonnaise and barbecue sauce, is the condiment mashup that none of us knew we needed — but apparently asked for.

What is the best French sauce? ›

Tomato. Tomato sauce is arguably the most popular of the French mother sauces. Classical French tomato sauce is thickened with roux and seasoned with pork, herbs, and aromatic vegetables. However, most modern tomato sauces primarily consist of puréed tomatoes seasoned with herbs and reduced into a rich, flavorful sauce ...

What is the Holy Trinity Creole food? ›

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

Is Creole spicier than Cajun? ›

So What Makes Them Different? The main difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine is that Cajun cuisine is typically spicier than Creole cuisine. This is because Cajun cuisine uses more spices, such as cayenne pepper and paprika. Creole cuisine, on the other hand, is typically milder.

What flavor is Creole? ›

Cajun seasoning contains paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, and cayenne, while Creole is made from chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme. While different, both results lend a slightly spicy, earthy, and smoky flavor to whatever dishes they're added to.

What does Creole taste like? ›

While the spice profiles are generally similar, you'll find that Creole food is a little richer and may contain more butter or creamy sauces. One major clue about the cuisine centers around a single ingredient: tomatoes.

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