How to Make Flavorful Homemade Creole Sauce (2024)

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. The sky is the limit—use Creole sauce to top any savory dish that would benefit from added moisture and spiced flavor.

It's ideal to whip up this sauce an hour or two ahead of time so that the flavors can sit and marry. You can keep it over very low heat until it's time to eat or reheat it before serving. It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge, too, or can be frozen for up to three months.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 2/3 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
4 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the celery, onion, green and yellow or red bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes until just tender.
Meanwhile, combine the Creole seasoning, paprika, thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a small bowl or cup.
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Stir the tomatoes into the vegetables and then add the seasoning mixture. Sauté for 1 minute longer.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the sliced green onions. Continue boiling, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Most of the liquid will cook away.
Stir in the tomato paste until well blended into the sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Serve over your dish of choice and enjoy.

How to Use

Top pasta, rice, or another grain with the sauce. Add cooked sausage for some protein and even more flavor. To keep with the Creole theme, use sliced andouille sausage. Or, for a vegetarian pasta dish, try adding sautéed mushrooms or other veggies.
Use to sauce meatballs, chicken breasts or thighs, and other lean meats.
Use as a sauce for seafood like grilled shrimp or broiled fish fillets.
For a vegetarian main, use the Creole sauce to top fried or grilled eggplant or roasted cauliflower.

Tip

You can control the amount of spice by using less or more hot sauce (or eliminating it completely). If you prefer a mild Creole sauce, make sure the Creole seasoning is not spicy.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
119	Calories
9g	Fat
8g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	119
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 17mg	6%
Sodium 479mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 24mg	120%
Calcium 40mg	3%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 285mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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