Food Shopping & Storing Food Shopping & Storing We Tested 142 Time-Saving Cooking Sauces—These Are the Best Options From tikka masala to seasoned short ribs, we ranked several shortcut sauces to upgrade dinner fast. By Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein Instagram Website Ananda Eidelstein is a vegetable-loving food writer, recipe developer, and editor. She is the former Senior Food Editor at REAL SIMPLE magazine. Prior to writing and editing feature stories, having her own monthly vegetarian column, and developing over 300 recipes during her time at RS, she was the Assistant Food Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day. She has also gained experience in the test kitchens of Martha Stewart's Living, and Saveur magazines, in catering, TV, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City. Ananda is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, now known as the International Culinary Center, with nearly a decade of culinary and food media experience. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is a food writer and editor with more than a decade’s experience working on titles such as Food Network Magazine, Bon Appetit, and Good Housekeeping. She is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple and is currently overseeing all food and nutritional content for Well+Good as senior food editor. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 15, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Courtesy of manufacturer We've all been there: The feeling of pure exhaustion after a long day when getting a family-friendly dinner on the table feels impossible. Before you call the pizza guy, pause. Allow us to introduce you to the shortcut sauce, a pantry product that can transform even the most basic dishes with little to no effort. We fired up the stove and tested 142 braising, simmering, and starter sauces that will cut your meal-prep time in half. Which is the best sauce for chicken, or better yet, which is the best tikka masala sauce? We tried them on a variety of quick dinners, and these six sauce options reigned supreme. Our Top Picks Best for Beef: Williams Sonoma Braising Sauce, Black Truffle Short Rib Best Thai Sauce: Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Simmer Sauce Best Tikka Masala Sauce: Masala Mama Tikka Masala Best Enchilada Sauce: Ortega Red Chile Enchilada Sauce Best Marsala Sauce: Stonewall Kitchen Chicken Marsala Simmering Sauce Best for Beef: Williams Sonoma Braising Sauce, Black Truffle Short Rib Courtesy of manufacturer $19, williams-sonoma.com Subtle truffle adds earthiness to this luscious sauce infused with red wine and caramelized onions. Simply brown seasoned short ribs before pouring the sauce on top. Then braise away for an impressive dish. Best Thai Sauce: Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Simmer Sauce Courtesy of manufacturer $27, amazon.com Smooth and fragrant, this sauce pairs as deliciously with chicken as it does with crispy tofu. Add some mixed vegetables, and this mild curry will become a dinnertime favorite. Best Tikka Masala Sauce: Masala Mama Tikka Masala Courtesy of manufacturer $41, amazon.com Skip the takeout and toss seared diced chicken or paneer into this creamy, flavorful garam masala–spiced sauce instead. Serve with warm naan or basmati rice. Best Enchilada Sauce: Ortega Red Chile Enchilada Sauce Courtesy of manufacturer instacart.com Don't let the name fool you—this red enchilada sauce is sweet and not too spicy. Season your filling and coat your tortillas in this silky, aromatic mixture. Best Marsala Sauce: Stonewall Kitchen Chicken Marsala Simmering Sauce Courtesy of manufacturer $18, amazon.com Need a way to transform a chicken breast fast? Sweet Marsala wine, garlic, and umami-rich mushrooms can transform chicken cutlets into a restaurant-caliber meal in less than an hour. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit