Whole30 Magic Elixirs: Sauces, Dressings, and Dips
I love my Magic Elixirs, which are truly a shortcut to deliciousness. Magic Elixirs are creations that you put in or over a dish to elevate your food from ordinary to extraordinary. I have always loved pan juices, and they’re a simple, natural example of a Magic Elixir, whether you pour it over food or set it aside to add to a soup, a stew, or as the last umami to bring a dish together. Most of my Magic Elixirs are quite naturally Whole30, vegan, and gluten-free, like Tomato Confit and Garlic Confit. Both are simply roasted in olive oil until bubbly and used anywhere you like a lovely tomato or soft garlic flavor. Great pressed into vegetables, added to salad dressings, stirred into a soup, or served over greens.

Marinated Red Onions
My Marinated Red Onions are the Magic Elixir that I’m most known for and a creation that began in my kitchen more than 25 years ago, long before I was a blogger. They are now a condiment used daily in my cooking. Finely sliced onions infused with high-quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, and red wine vinegar—make just enough marinade to cover the thinly sliced onions. I use Marinated Red Onions on almost everything. Lovely with eggs, or a hamburger, or my Everyday Roast Chicken Breast, they’re a two-fer, because I use their oil for my daily salad dressing. They are especially great additions for people doing Keto or Whole30, and my vegan son has been known to top his frozen pizza with them.
You can find the recipe HERE.
Creamy Garlic Olive Dressing

I’m really excited about my newest Magic Elixir. California Creamy Garlic Olive Dressing is so delicious, and it’s the puréed olives that give it both a bit of brininess and a creaminess. I’ve created a Whole30 version and a regular one.
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Whole30 Creamy Garlic Olive Dressing
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
1½ cup Whole30 Mayo
2 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste, around 2 pinches
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One 6-ounce can California black olives, drained and divided
Instructions
Using a hand mixer or blender, blend the Whole30 Mayonnaise, pressed garlic, parsley, chives, lemon juice, salt, red wine vinegar, olive oil and 2/3 can of olives until smooth. Add the remaining olives and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Keywords: whole30 dressing, whole30 dips
Spicy Almond Sauce
Spicy Almond Sauce is a Magic Elixir we love on Chicken Kabobs, Steak Pad Thai, and Asian Chicken Salad–and by the way, this is Zach’s favorite. It is absolutely yummy. Spicy and easy to make–although it does have quite a list of ingredients. Simply keep it in your fridge and use it with everything over the next few days after you make it.
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Spicy Almond Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
3 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1–2 Tbsp your favorite hot sauce, or more if you prefer more heat
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 red Anaheim or Fresno pepper, seeds removed, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
Make the sauce by blending all the sauce ingredients in a food processor.
Keywords: whole30 sauce, whole30 dressing
Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess is one of our classics. It speaks to summer and is so delicious. The flavor comes from all the fresh herbs, garlic, and Whole30 Mayo. It’s so easily made vegan by skipping the anchovy and using a vegan mayo. We have both a Whole30 version and a regular.
You can find the Green Goddess recipe HERE.
Tarragon Tartar Sauce
This Olive Shallot Tarragon Tartar Sauce takes a bit of prep but is without question the best. When I make a jar of this deliciousness, I cook seafood for the next couple of days because this is the perfect accompaniment, whether you’re doing Whole30 or just love to eat delicious food.
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Tarragon Tartar Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
1 ½ cups Mayonaise ( I use homemade Mayo)
3 shallots, finely chopped
4 cornichons, finely chopped
18 green olives, pitted and finely chopped (I use Cerignola)
1 ½ Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp cider vinegar, or to taste
Tabasco, to taste
Instructions
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients, stirring until well combined.
Keywords: whole30 tartar sauce, whole30 sauce
Pistachio Pesto
Pistachio Pesto is a nocrumbsleft classic. We use pistachios instead of pine nuts and skip the parmesan—which you absolutely won’t miss. This flavorful concoction is wonderful with Everyday Roast Chicken Breast, Skirt Steak, or to accompany your eggs, along with breakfast greens and Marinated Red Onions.
You can find the recipe for Pistachio Pesto HERE.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce: blacken and roast the peppers, peel the skin, and purée them with Whole30 Mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and garlic. This is without a doubt one of the blog favorites. Great with stuffed baked potatoes, over a hamburger, or as a salad dressing.
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Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Whole30 compliant mayonnaise (I make my own)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Whole30 compliant hot sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
Preheat the broiler and raise the oven rack to 5 or 6 inches below the heat source.
Put the bell peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle evenly with the olive oil. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper over them. Broil until charred, about 15 minutes. Flip the peppers over and broil, flipping every 5 minutes until completely charred, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the peppers from the oven and let cool.
Remove and discard the charred skin, seeds, and stems and transfer the flesh from the peppers to a blender or food processor. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the hot sauce, and the cayenne and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: whole30 sauce, whole30 dressing
Coconut Lime Dressing
Coconut Lime Dressing is something we developed for our taco salad. It is a naturally vegan combination of flavors that adds a sublime element to a beautiful green salad. You can serve it as a dressing or a dipping sauce.
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Coconut Lime Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil
6 tbsp ripe mango
2 tbsp to ¼ cup cilantro
4 tbsp chives, chopped
6 tbsp lime juice
4 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 clove garlic, pressed
Instructions
Blend the coconut oil and mango in a high-speed blender. Once combined add the cilantro and chives. Blend well. Then add the lime juice, coconut aminos, and garlic and continue to blend until smooth — this may take a minute. If the mixture is not blending well, add a tablespoon of water.
Keywords: whole30 dressing, whole30 vinaigrette
Stir Fry Infuser
I use this Magic Elixir with just about every Stir Fry I make. It brings so much great flavor, and it’s perfect for dishes like my Whole30 Pork Stir Fry. You can make up a batch and keep it on hand in the fridge to add to a dish for a simple weeknight dinner!
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Stir Fry Infuser
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp hot sauce (Whole30 compliant)
Juice from 3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix the coconut aminos, vinegar, hot sauce, ginger juice, and garlic until thoroughly combined.
Keywords: whole30 stir fry, whole30 sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Hoisin Sauce. While doing Whole30, I wanted to come up with a hoisin-inspired Whole30 sauce, and this is a bit of a masterpiece. When making a stir fry without sugar, it’s always a challenge to infuse it with flavor. Here, coconut aminos, garlic, hot sauce, and ginger combine to make a magic concoction that can be added to everything from rice to Cauliflower Rice to stir frys–it just gives any dish extra umami without adding sugar. Equally delicious as a salad dressing.
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Whole30 Hoisin Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This is the perfect sauce to take any stir fry to the next level!
Ingredients
8 Tbsp coconut aminos
4 Tbsp Compliant almond butter
2 Tbsp orange juice
4 tsp rice vinegar
2 garlic clove, finely minced (or pressed)
2 tsp hot sauce
Instructions
PLACE all ingredients into a mini prep food processor (or bowl).
BLEND until all ingredients are well blended.
Keywords: whole30 hoisin sauce, whole30 sauce
Cashew Crema
Cashew Crema is delectable anywhere you want a dairy-free topping that feels satisfyingly like dairy. The trick is that you need to purée for quite a while, so be patient and take your time as it blends. As it goes from one state to another, I slowly add water, salt and pepper, and fresh herbs. Whole30 Mayo is the basis, and although it’s simple, it requires some finesse. I always do mine in a jar putting the eggs in first, and then slowly pour in the light olive oil. Use a stick blender. Note that if you use regular olive oil, it will possibly not blend properly, so this absolutely requires a light olive oil. If you’re doing Whole30, this is a basis for many of my Magic Elixirs, and if you are vegan, substitute a vegan mayo.
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Cashew Crema
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (+2 hour soak)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
¾ cup water
¼ – ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Put the cashews in a medium bowl and pour over enough water to cover the cashews by 1 inch. Soak for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. Drain and rinse well.
In a food processor, combine the cashews, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ cup cold water and process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides. Add another ¼ cup water and process until creamy and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes more. If you prefer a thinner consistency, adjust the water accordingly. Taste and add the remaining salt as needed.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keywords: whole30 dips, whole30 dressing, vegan dressing
999 Island Dressing
999 Island Dressing is a beautiful sauce with cornichons, ketchup, mayo, and shredded eggs. Lovely on roast beef, crab, or seafood. It really makes one portion, so it’s lovely for a Sunday seafood lunch or with my Eye of Round from the cookbook.
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999 Island Dressing
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
¾ cup Whole30 Mayo
2/3 cup Tomato Confit
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 Tbsp compliant hot sauce
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped cornichons
1 large hard-boiled egg, grated
1–½ tsp finely chopped white onion
Instructions
Combine the mayo, Tomato Confit (and oil), coconut aminos, hot sauce, tomato paste, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a food processor.
Blend until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
Add the cornichons, egg, and onions and stir until combined well.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keywords: whole30 dressing, whole30 dip
Creamy Almond Sesame Dressing
This dressing is great for our Asian Chicken Salad or any salad for a quick Whole30 lunch or dinner!
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Creamy Almond Sesame Dressing (Whole30)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Magic Elixirs
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
2 – 3 dates, chopped into small pieces
½ cup light olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons coconut aminos
3 tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
Place all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse and slowly add the olive oil in a stream until completely emulsified. Set aside.
Keywords: whole30 dressing, whole30 sauce
I can’t wait to try these!!!! Especially the cashew crema!
The Magic Elixirs are truly magic. they make Whole30 such a joy to do.
I’ve tried a few of these and love them so much. Excited to make the new ones! They really to elevate our meals. I love grilling some kind of protein and adding a magic elixir to it.
So glad you are loving the Magic Elixirs. Be sure to check out my instagram to see new and fun ways to sue them!
I completed day 5 of Stephanie’s CWC whole30 group today and I have to say these are a staple to keep it simple but interesting. Thank you!!
Fantastic
I’m on day 2 of Whole30 with Stephanie’s CWC group and the magic elixirs make staying on track with Whole30 so much easier. I have some marinated onions sitting on my counter as I write this and can’t wait to try some 999 Dressing this week since I made a tomato confit last night.
So great
feeling great
I am in the cook by color group and I am loving all of these ideas!
I’m in the CBC group too and am finally learning to make really good use of the marinated onions and the marinade. Thanks Teri!
Hi. I’m in the Cook by Color group. I love your recipes and would love to win one of your bowls! Thanks!
Love being in her group
Hi Teri! I’m in the Cook by Color group and am going strong on day 3! Such a fun and supportive community. I would love to enter to win a beautiful bowl. 🙂
Thank you so much
We love her group
I’m in Stephanie’s cook by color group and am excited to learn more tools for success such as foraging and now using these magic elixirs to keep things interesting and tasty!
Thank you so much
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Hello! First of all, thank you so much for these elixir recipes. They are so wonderful!! How long can you keep them around? I assume it varies from elixir to elixir, and that you should keep them in the fridge, but do you have general 3-5 day or 1-2 week “best by” dates for these?
It totally depends on what it is I would say if it has a raw egg you want to think about five days. If it’s the garlic confit or tomato confit then it’s definitely longer
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Is it possible to freeze any of these recipes? It would make it so much easier for quick weeknight meals.
Typically not… I keep them in the refrigerator about five or six days unless it’s one of the confit and then it lasts a lot longer
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