Cold Sauces for Grilled Food - 10 Easy Recipes for Meat, Fish and Vegetables

Grilling season is finally here, and it’s time to bring out the grill. When it comes to barbecue food, it’s often the sides that make the meal, and not least the sauce. A good cold sauce can elevate everything from meat and chicken to salmon, halloumi, and vegetables.

Here we’ve gathered 10 recipes for cold sauces for grilled food that are easy to prepare and go well with meat, chicken, fish, and vegetables – from classic tzatziki and cold béarnaise sauce to BBQ sauce, herb sauce, and roe sauce.

1. Classic cold garlic sauce

A classic garlic sauce goes with most things on the grill, but especially grilled meat, chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. The garlic sauce is mild, creamy, and easy to prepare well in advance of serving.

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• 1 dl Turkish yogurt

• 1–2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Salt and black pepper

• Fresh parsley or chives, optional

How to do it:

1. Finely grate or crush the garlic. 

2. Mix the crème fraiche, yogurt, garlic, honey, and lemon juice in a bowl.

3. Season with salt and black pepper. 

4. It’s best to let the sauce chill for at least 20 minutes before serving so the flavors can develop.

2. Cold béarnaise sauce with tarragon

Béarnaise sauce is a tasty option when you want to serve a cold sauce with grilled meat. It goes well with entrecôte, sirloin, pork tenderloin, and kebabs, but also works with grilled potatoes or oven-roasted root vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• 1 dl mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1–2 tbsp chopped tarragon

• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

• Salt and black pepper

How to do it:

1. Mix the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.

2. Stir in the tarragon and parsley. 

3. Season with salt and black pepper. 

Tip! If you want a stronger béarnaise flavor, you can add a little extra tarragon.

3. Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a true classic and a fresh cold sauce, perfect for grilled chicken, lamb, halloumi, and vegetables. The sauce also goes well with good bread. 

Ingredients:

• 3 dl Greek yogurt

• ½ cucumber

• 1–2 cloves garlic

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Salt and black pepper

• Fresh dill or mint, optional

How to do it:

1. Coarsely grate the cucumber on a grater and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 

2. Finely grate or crush the garlic. 

3. Mix the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. 

4. Season with salt and black pepper. 

5. Top with fresh dill or mint if you like.

4. Feta cream with lemon

Feta cream is a salty and creamy sauce that goes well with grilled vegetables, chicken, halloumi, and bread. The lemon adds a fresh flavor that balances the salty feta.

Ingredients:

• 150 g feta cheese

• 2 dl crème fraiche or Greek yogurt

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• A little finely grated lemon zest

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Black pepper

• Fresh oregano or basil, optional

How to do it:

1. Mash the feta with a fork and mix it with the crème fraiche or Greek yogurt in a bowl. 

2. Add the lemon juice, a little finely grated lemon zest, and olive oil. 

3. Season with black pepper. 

4. Top with fresh herbs before serving.

5. Cold herb sauce with lemon

A cold herb sauce is the perfect choice when you want a fresh sauce for grilled food. This sauce works just as well with fish and chicken as with new potatoes, asparagus, and grilled vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 dl Turkish yogurt

• 1 dl crème fraiche

• 1 handful fresh basil

• 1 handful fresh parsley

• 1 tbsp chives

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Salt and black pepper

How to do it:

1. Finely chop the basil, parsley, and chives. 

2. Mix the yogurt and crème fraiche in a bowl and stir in the herbs. 

3. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. 

4. It’s best to let the sauce chill for a while before serving.

Feel free to use a citrus press to get the juice out of the lemon without seeds in the sauce.

6. Roe sauce with dill

Roe sauce is an easy cold sauce that works well with salmon, shrimp, and other fish. With crème fraiche, dill, lemon, and roe, you get a perfect mix of saltiness and tang.

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• ½ dl mayonnaise

• 2 tbsp red vendace roe or seaweed roe

• 2 tbsp chopped dill

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Salt and black pepper

How to do it:

1. Mix the crème fraiche and mayonnaise in a bowl. 

2. Stir in the roe, dill, and lemon juice. 

3. Season with salt and black pepper. Keep in mind that since the roe is already salty, just a small amount of extra salt may be enough.

For an extra fresh sauce, you can also add a little finely grated lemon zest.

7. Mango sauce with chili and lime

This mango sauce with chili and lime is sweet, tangy, and a little spicy. Perfect for chicken, pork, halloumi, and vegetarian kebabs. 

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• ½ dl mango chutney

• 1 tsp lime juice

• ½ tsp sambal oelek or finely chopped chili

• Salt

• Fresh coriander, optional

How to do it:

1. Mix the crème fraiche with mango chutney, lime juice, and chili. 

2. Season with salt. 

3. Top with fresh coriander if you want a more herbal flavor.

If you want a milder cold sauce for chicken, you can reduce the amount of chili. If you want more heat, you can add a little extra sambal oelek.

8. Parmesan and garlic sauce

This rich sauce is the only one you need. Parmesan, garlic, and lemon add lots of flavor, which makes the sauce go well with grilled meat and chicken as well as potatoes, grilled corn, and bread. 

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• ½ dl mayonnaise

• ½ dl finely grated Parmesan

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Black pepper

How to do it:

1. Finely grate the Parmesan and garlic. 

2. Mix with the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. 

3. Season with black pepper. 

4. It’s best to let the sauce sit in the fridge for a while so the Parmesan and garlic flavor becomes more pronounced.

A fine zester is handy when you want to grate Parmesan, garlic, or lemon zest directly into the sauce.

9. Cold BBQ sauce

A creamy and smoky sauce for grilled food is perfect for hamburgers, ribs, grilled chicken, sausages, and vegetables. You simply have to try this recipe when you want classic BBQ flavor in a cold sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 dl crème fraiche

• ½ dl mayonnaise

• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• Salt and black pepper

How to do it:

1. Mix the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika in a bowl. 

2. Season with salt and black pepper. 

3. Feel free to add a little extra vinegar for more acidity.

10. Avocado cream with lime

Avocado cream goes well with fish, chicken, tacos, halloumi, and grilled vegetables as a fresh sauce. With lime and garlic, the sauce gets extra flavor without becoming too heavy. 

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados

• 1 dl Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 1 small clove garlic

• Salt and black pepper

• Fresh coriander or parsley (optional)

How to do it:

1. Blend or mash the avocado together with the yogurt, lime juice, and garlic. 

2. Season with salt and black pepper. 

3. Top with fresh coriander or parsley. 

Best served the same day, since avocado can brown as it sits.

Tip! Read our article on easy and delicious sides for grilled food for more recipes for sauces, dips, and salads that go with grilled food. 

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