A dozen hands hold small sample-size cups of bright red smoothie in a circle. Below them is a blender and a series of scattered ingredients.
Eighth graders in Detroit, Michigan, practiced using a blender to make these tasty fruit and spinach smoothies. Cheers! Photo by Renata Rodriguez (MI '24).

Sometimes the difference between a good dish and a great one is as simple as a sauce.

FoodCorps members use these recipes when introducing kids to easy sauces, marinades, and other blends that dress up a dish—cooking AND tasting them!

These recipes are packed with the flavors of fresh herbs and produce and simple seasonings. Best of all, you can prepare them with just a blender, immersion blender, or food processor. 

Blender-Friendly Recipes For Simple Sauces and More

Ready to cook an easy sauce with your student? Grab your blender and try the recipes below at home. You can also find these and other recipes in our FoodCorps Recipe Book.

Don’t forget to review basic food safety tips with your kids, and let us know your favorite recipe on social media by tagging @foodcorps!

Basil Pesto

Yield: About 1 ¼ cup 
Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Serving suggestion: Stir into pasta or spread on crackers or crusty bread. 

This classic Italian version of pesto often features in lessons about green sauces from around the world. Feel free to swap out the nuts or cheese for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 medium garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
  • 3 ounces basil leaves (from about a 4-ounce bunch)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) pine nuts (or other nut such as walnuts)
  • 5 tablespoons (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano–Reggiano
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Steps:

Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until they reach a smooth consistency. 

Thai Green Curry

Yield: About 1 cup
Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Serving suggestion: Cook with meat or seafood and/or serve over rice or noodles. 

We adapted this recipe from ThaiTable.com for another example of a green sauce from outside of the United States. The curry is not meant to be eaten raw, but diluted with coconut milk according to your family’s spice preferences.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup sliced shallots
  • ¼ cup garlic
  • 2-3 green Thai chili peppers or 2-3 jalapenos (or other spicy pepper)
  • 3-4 tablespoons sliced lemongrass
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh galangal (or fresh ginger)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sliced cilantro roots (or handful of cilantro)
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • ½ tablespoon cumin
  • 1 kaffir lime, zested (or regular lime)
  • ½ teaspoon peppercorns
  • ¼ cup chili leaf (optional)

Steps:

1. Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until they reach a smooth consistency.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon of curry paste with 1 cup coconut milk in a saucepan on medium heat until simmering and warmed through. 

Sofrito

Yield: About 2 cups
Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Serving suggestion: Cook with black beans or chickpeas—because of the raw garlic and onion, sofrito is particularly potent if eaten raw!

This sauce, a staple for cooking across the Caribbean in places like the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico, is a delicious base for cooking all kinds of meals. 

Ingredients:

  • ½ bunch cilantro leaves (about 1 cup)
  • ½ medium green pepper, seeds removed
  • ½ small tomato, diced
  • ½ medium sweet onion, peeled
  • ¼ red sweet pepper, seeds removed
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled

Steps:

Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until they reach a smooth consistency.

Chermoula

Yield: About 1 cup
Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Serving suggestion: Use as a marinade for vegetables or dressing for a shredded carrot salad.

Adapted from Serious Eats, this North African sauce is typically used to flavor seafood. While we introduce it to students as a green sauce, if you’re substituting with turmeric, it may have a more orange color.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup packed parsley leaves
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup preserved lemon juice, or ⅓ cup of regular lemon juice
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed saffron (or substitute turmeric)

Steps:

Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until they reach a smooth consistency.

Applesauce

Yield: Approximately 4 cups
Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Serving suggestion: Grab a spoon and dig in! 

OK, we admit it—despite its name, applesauce is not a sauce. But if you’re looking to use up an abundance of winter apples, this easy recipe for a healthy snack is a great way to do it.

Ingredients:

  • 5 apples of assorted varieties
  • 1 teaspoon or more of cinnamon, to taste
  • ¼ to ½ cup of water, depending on desired consistency
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, to taste (optional) 

Steps:

  1. Wash, core, and chop apples into large chunks (you don’t need to peel them). 
  2. Add all ingredients into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer, cover the pot, and stir occasionally until the apples are very soft, approximately 30-45 minutes. 
  3. Let cool slightly and then use a blender, immersion blender, or potato masher to blend to your desired consistency.