Sauce Vierge

Sauce vierge is fresh tomato and basil sauce made with olive oil, lemon juice, and capers.
Although it originated in France; it’s bright flavours and fresh flavours are very different to many other French sauces which are often rich and creamy. This sauce vierge is more like a vinaigrette than a sauce.

It is very quick to prepare – a little chopping, a little stir, and you are done. With just 5 ingredients, and no cooking; it is a recipe I love to have on hand for days when energy and time are scarce!

A light, tasty and good for you sauce! Purists may well say this recipe isn’t for a traditional sauce vierge, as many other recipes use shallots or other onions. I am not a fan of onions so I have left them out. But what it is, is delicious, and a great recipe to have up your sleeve to put on pasta or toasted bread for a quick and easy vegan dinner or lunch!

Can you make Sauce Vierge ahead?

You can make it up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving to allow the flavours to come out.

Uses for Sauce Vierge:

Our favourite (as you can see from the photos) is to use it as a bruschetta topping, but other ways we use it:
Spoon it on top of pasta
Use it as a salad dressing or drizzle over roasted vegetables
As a dip for fresh bread
Serve over fresh seafood
As a dressing for potato salad

Make it Your Sauce Vierge:

Love onions: finely chop a spring onion and stir through the sauce
No cherry tomatoes: use ripe plum tomatoes
No basil:  use parsley or chives

If you are looking for more summer recipe ideas, why not have a look at my vegan Puttanesca Pasta Salad  and Spiced Chickpeas Salad, simple & fresh Watermelon & Mozzarella Salad, or vibrant Carrot & Orange Salad with Feta