17 Best Rice Sauces (+ Easy Recipes)

You never have to settle for lackluster rice again thanks to these easy rice sauces.

Rice is a staple in many cultures. And you know what that means? There are a ton of different sauces to add to it!

This opens up a world of possibilities in the kitchen.

Umami, creamy, spicy, and fresh, each one adds its own signature touch.

And most of them only take a few minutes to make.

From classic Asian sauces to zippy chimichurri, these rice sauces will take any meal from ordinary to extraordinary.

1. Sauce for Fried Rice

Fried rice is an easy dish that doesn’t take a ton of experience to make. However, getting the sauce dialed in is key.

And this one is super fast! It takes a whole 2 minutes and 5 ingredients. 

It also lasts for a pretty long time in the fridge.

That means you can keep extra on hand for those nights that you need something quick. 

2. Gochujang Sauce

Gochujang is a fiery Korean sauce that’s also sweet and umami.

Traditionally, it consists of fermented soybeans, Korean chili peppers, and salt.

If you like your Asian food on the spicy side, you’ll love it!

Making it a home is easy. However, you may need to swing by an Asian market to get the gochujang paste. 

Add it to your rice bowl and spice things up a bit! 

3. Garlic Butter Sauce

Looking for a rice sauce that’s versatile no matter the cuisine? Garlic butter sauce is your answer. 

It’s a quick and simple way to flavor up your rice that’s universal.

You can pair it with a range of proteins and veggie side dishes.

It’s also a great base for burrito bowls, buddha bowls, and my favorite bowl of all, this Mexican Buddha bowl.

4. Caribbean Pepper Sauce

Do you ever bite into something so tasty that you can’t stop thinking about the sauce?

That’s this Caribbean pepper sauce. 

It’s a staple in Caribbean homes and a must for any hot sauce lover.

It’s fiery, vinegary, garlicky, and good on everything!

When it comes to rice, I like to add jerk chicken and beans to the mix. Then, drizzle it on top. 

5. Best Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and sour is a classic that’s even better made from scratch.

You can adjust the amount of brown sugar to tailor the sweetness to your liking.

The same thing goes for the cornstarch slurry that makes it thick.

By making it at home, you also don’t get any extra unwanted preservatives.

6. Mushroom Sauce

A cozy mushroom sauce like this will make you more than happy to stay in on a Friday night. 

It’s creamy, earthy, and buttery, taking 20 minutes of your time. 

Use thickened cream to make it extra rich and add a glug of white wine for complexity. Then, pour it all over white rice. 

You can add more to the dish like chicken and broccoli.

Although the sauce is so good, it’s all your rice needs.

7. Best Tahini Sauce

Do yourself a favor and memorize this recipe. It’s so delectable, you’ll want to use it for anything and everything. 

Salad dressings, veggie dips, sandwiches, falafels, and more.

It doesn’t call for anything super crazy either. 

All you need is tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin, and salt. Oh, and a glass of water for adjusting the consistency to your liking.

8. Mole Sauce

Rice is anything but mundane when you drown it in mole! 

Mole is a classic Mexican sauce that features a ton of dried chilies and chocolate. 

I know the list of ingredients reads like a novel, but it’s beyond worth it in the end.

Together, they all build a sweet, earthy, rich, and spicy sauce that’s big on flavor.  

9. Best Teriyaki Sauce

Once you start making teriyaki sauce at home, it’s almost impossible to go back to the store-bought stuff.

I always find that store-bought brands tend to be full of preservatives and hard-to-pronounce ingredients. But not this sauce. 

You can customize it to your liking. Plus, it’s super fresh. 

For a lower-sugar version, you can nix the brown sugar and just use honey.

You can also cut down the salt with a low-sodium soy sauce.

10. 5-Minute Szechuan Sauce

If spicy is one of the many flavors that make your tastebuds sing, this Szechaun sauce will be right up your alley. 

It certainly has a kick, but it’s well-balanced too. Maple syrup tones down the heat while soy sauce packs in the umami. 

Add more red chili peppers if you want to take the Scoville level up a notch.

And by all means, don’t forget the Chinese five-spice seasoning!

11. Orange Sauce

Do you get a hankering for that orange chicken sauce from Panda Express like something fierce?

When that craving overcomes you, this sauce will be waiting. 

The combination of orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili sauce is almost dead on. 

And you can add it to any white rice dish you like. There’s no need to customize your order here. You’re in charge.

12. Chimichurri Sauce

I just made chimichurri and white rice the other night.

Now, I’ve been daydreaming about how to use the leftovers tonight. 

Do I drizzle it on juicy grilled chicken and white rice? Or should I swap out the chicken for flaky salmon skewers?

Decisions, decisions!

I do know one thing, you’ll want to conjure up your own creation with this tangy chimichurri.

It’s an invigorating blend of fresh herbs, red wine vinegar, red chili pepper flakes, lemon, and garlic. 

13. Pesto Cream Sauce

This sauce is devilishly good! 

It’s fresh like all the best pesto sauces, except butter and milk make it extra creamy. 

So it’s half healthy and half guilty. But every diet needs at least a little bit of fat, so whip some up tonight!

You can coat rice noodles with it to cut down on gluten. I also like pairing it with seafood and a bed of white rice.

14. Easy White Wine Sauce

Speaking of seafood, here’s a great sauce for your shrimp and rice dinner.

It’s a creamy blend of butter, cream, dry white wine, parmesan cheese, and garlic.

You also need a handful of flour to thicken the sauce.

The whole thing takes less than 10 minutes and it adds some decadence to your plate.

15. Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Add depth to your creamy sauce with a jar of roasted red peppers.

You only need six ingredients and something tells me they’re probably lurking in your kitchen right now. 

It’s a good alternative to heavy red tomato sauces and a wickedly good addition to all your rice recipes. 

16. Easy Beef Au Jus

I know au jus sounds pinky out fancy. However, it’s just the French way of saying ‘with juice.”

And boy is this sauce juicy!

You take the drippings from roast beef and add onions, beef broth, cornstarch, and thyme.

Let that simmer for a bit, then drizzle it on roast beef and rice.

17. British Curry Sauce

The Brits can make a surprisingly good curry sauce. And what better way to eat it than with a mound of white rice?

Curry powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and coriander make up the spice profile.

Meanwhile, water, tomato paste, and flour make up the base.

Due to the lack of coconut milk, it’s a bit lower in calories. And yet, it’s still fragrant and deliciously spiced.