Growing up in my family, we each had a “special sauce” that went on everything. For my one brother it was teriyaki, for my other brother, ketchup, and for me, Newman’s Own Creamy Ceasar was the JAM. Clearly I can lay claim to the most refined pallet, nevermind the most added fat. We’re not alone, though. One of my girlfriends recently explained that her mother would throw together fake hollandaise sauce in an effort to make broccoli more enticing. Sure, the hollandaise consisted of mayonnaise and mustard, but I dunked my tenderloin in salad dressing, so you’ll get no judgement from me. Thankfully, like most habits of our younger years, we’ve outgrown the need to drown our food and instead enjoy the natural flavors. That was until I discovered my latest obsession: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

As most obsessions do, this one started out innocently enough. After a lunch date at Cava Grill (aka Mediterranean Chipotle), I was inspired to make a Mediterranean pita/quinoa salad bar at work. Good ‘ole Pinterest helped put some zing on this lunch by inspiring the perfect topping. Admittedly, I expected it to be good, but I didn’t expect the need to triple the recipe. The sauce turned into an ongoing request: on eggs, on pork loin, on salads, rice, chicken, as a veggie dip, with crackers….until it was gone.

Luckily for both of us, this sauce is seriously simple to throw together. You’ll need a food processor (we used the Vita-mix) and just a few pantry staples to whip this up in a matter of minutes. Make it tonight to serve with dinner (no matter what you’re planning) and enjoy it all week long the entire next day.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (c/o  Pinch of Yum)

• 1, 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained (or overachieve and roast your own)
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 fresh basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or red pepper flakes for zing)
• juice of one lemon
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup almonds

Instructions: Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth but still textured. That’s it!

Pro tip: Enjoy with a bib, red pepper stains are no joke.