When you find yourself with an abundance of fresh herbs, or need to perk up a good—but could be better—roast or grain bowl, a green sauce is usually the answer. Spicy chermoula, tangy chimichurri, chunky salsa verde, and beyond are all versatile team players. You can use them at all hours and on every type of dish. A green goddess sauce can perk up your morning eggs, then turn around and transform plain grilled chicken into an all-star weeknight supper. Cilantro-flecked chutney can be a sandwich spread one afternoon and a dinner-party-worthy dipping sauce the following evening. And pesto is less of a sauce than a state of mind. Made with whatever green and crunchy ingredients you have in the fridge, it brings bright, vegetal flavors to everything from pizza to crudité to miso-scented ramen noodles.
The green sauces below are iterative recipes with endless applications. It might not always be easy being green, but it certainly simplifies mealtimes.
