Creole Sauce

Name: Creole Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Creole
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 sweet onion, finely chopped; 1 large bell pepper, finely chopped; 3 large garlic cloves, minced; 3 cups chopped tomatoes with juice (fresh or canned); 1 to 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt or Creole seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 bay leaf; Hot sauce to taste (such as Tabasco, or cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes as desired)

Recipe GLPR708762c52f1a3d

Creole

Sauce & Condiment

45 min

50 cal

Servings: 8

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A vibrant, aromatic Creole sauce built on a foundation of sautéed onions, bell peppers, and garlic, then simmered with fresh and dried herbs, tomatoes, and warm spices. This versatile sauce is naturally plant-based and brings authentic New Orleans flavor to rice, pasta, vegetables, or proteins.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3 cups chopped tomatoes with juice (fresh or canned)

1 to 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt or Creole seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 bay leaf

Hot sauce to taste (such as Tabasco, or cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes as desired)

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the pan. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes with their juice. Add the Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, dried oregano, salt (or Creole seasoning), black pepper, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and season with hot sauce to your preferred level of spice. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Serve warm over rice, pasta, vegetables, or your protein of choice.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

Every ingredient is stocked at any major Charlotte grocer—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger all carry onion, bell pepper, garlic, canned tomatoes, worcestershire, fresh herbs, and hot sauce without requiring a special trip. At roughly $8–10 for a batch that yields 8 servings, the cost per serving lands around $1–1.25, making this an economical base for rice, pasta, or protein. The 45-minute stated time is honest if you account for a gentle simmer; actual hands-on work is about 10 minutes. This is a workhorse Creole foundation that reheats beautifully, feeds a family, and aligns perfectly with Southern cooking tradition in North Carolina without any real friction.

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