SUPER SAUCE

A dietitian shares a flavor-packed sauce that helps her use up herbs. Plus: Some of our favorite bowl-friendly sauces.

- BY JESSICA BALL

Herbs and spices can seriously up the flavor (and even the nutritional value) of your meals without added salt, sugar or fat. However, herbs in particular can have a pretty short shelf life in the fridge—and they often come in large bunches, making them hard to get through. A few weeks ago, I had a bunch of parsley that was starting to wilt. Instead of composting it or throwing it into my stock veggie scraps bag in the freezer, I decided to use it for a simple four-ingredient sauce. And I've been making it on repeat ever since.

This is the sauce I lean on when I'm in a pinch and want to bring any meal together, from eggs at breakfast to grain bowls, sides or salads at dinner. It includes olive oil, lemon juice, finely diced shallots, minced herbs, salt and pepper. You can either whisk the mixture together by hand for a chunkier, more textured sauce or blitz it all together in a food processor for something more smooth. And don't forget to taste and adjust along the way until you find something utterly delicious.

The sauce I make is almost like a pared-down version of our Easy Chimichurri Sauce recipe, seen on the opposite page. But one of the reasons I love my sauce so much is that it's incredibly customizable. Don't have shallots? Try using sliced scallions, finely chopped onions or minced garlic instead. Out of lemons? Swap in any type of vinegar you like; just be mindful that it has a more potent flavor than lemon juice. You can also use basically any herbs that you have, and it's a great way to use up a large amount of herbs that are on their way out. Sometimes I'll even make a big batch so it's ready to use throughout the week.

There are several ways to elevate your meals at home without adding excessive amounts of added sugar, salt or fat, and this sauce is proof. It works just as well as a salad dressing as it does on roasted vegetables or grilled chicken.