Jamaican-Inspired Easy Jerk Sauce

Jerk sauce is one of the few sauces for which I haven’t found a bottled equivalent that I absolutely love, so here’s a way to easily make it in the kitchen. I’ll be the first to admit that this Jamaican-inspired super-easy jerk sauce isn’t quite authentic, but it does have the right flavor notes — sweet, savory, citrusy, and spicy.

You can take almost any kind of plant protein, sauté until golden, stir in this sauce, and it’s completely transformed. Try it with seitan, tofu (or baked tofu), soy curls, plant-based chicken, or plant-based beefy-style chunks or strips. This makes about 1 cup, which is enough for an average recipe, or about 1 pound plant protein.

See a good use for this sauce in Vegan Jamaican Jerk Seitan (with Other Plant Protein Options). Recipe adapted from Plant-Powered Protein by Nava Atlas. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky, BitterwseetBlog.com.

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Yield: 1 cup

Super-Easy Homemade Jerk Sauce

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I’ll be the first to admit that this Jamaican-inspired easy homemade jerk sauce isn’t quite authentic, but it does have the right flavor notes — sweet, savory, citrusy, and spicy. 

Prep Time 8 minutes

Total Time 8 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
• 2/3 cup juice fresh or bottled orange juice
• 2 tablespoons molasses or agave
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• Juice of 1 lime (or 2 to 3 tablespoons bottled lime juice)
• 1 small hot chile pepper, seeded and minced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning blend (see Notes)

Instructions

1. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons or so of water in a small bowl. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk together. 
2. Use as directed as recipes; by adding this sauce to a recipe toward the end of cooking time and cooking briefly, it will thicken up nicely.

Notes

Jamaican jerk seasoning blend is available in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets. One readily available brand is McCormick. You can also explore Caribbean groceries, natural foods stores, and online sources.

If you like this molasses-flavored sauce, you might also enjoy …

Sweet and Savory Molasses Barbecue Sauce

See more easy vegan sauces & dressings.