Cooking elements can be in different names. Hence, we believe that knowing what we use and eat is important. On that note, we thought of addressing the difference between condiments, sauces, and dips which many tend to confuse.
Both sauces and dips belong to the broad condiment category. However, while sauces are applied or used on top of food, dips or dipping sauces are used to submerge food, or usually, food is placed on them. Moreover, a sauce typically moistens food and acts as a flavor enhancer, while a dip functions as an accessory to a particular dish.
So, let’s take you in-depth with this subject. If you were ever confused, not knowing the difference between these, you would get your answers by the end of this feature.
What Is The Difference Between Condiments, Sauces, And Dips- Explained Answer
As mentioned earlier, evidently, both sauces and dips fall under the umbrella of “condiments”. Therefore, we cannot differentiate these two components from condiments. But, we can find some subtle distinctions between sauces and dips.
What Is A Sauce?
We cannot say a sauce can be thick or thin. The texture actually depends, and so does the color, taste, and aroma. Interestingly, sauces can act as an ingredient, a condiment, and also as a dip.
However, when sauce functions as a condiment can give an added flavor, tone, fragrance, and consistency to a particular dish or food after the cooking process or after serving. For example, when we drizzle sauce over a burger or a slice of pizza.
In addition, many dishes include many types of sauces as a part of their recipe. And, in such instances, they become an ingredient. And when certain sauces like tomato sauce or ketchup are used to dip food like french fries, it necessarily becomes a dip/dipping sauce.
What Is A Dip?
A dip is usually used as an additional dish with the main dish. It often performs as an embellishment that primarily adds an extra taste and texture to what you eat.
When we think of a dip, the basic idea we get is about a thick, paste-like element more than a runny substance. For example, we simply dip chips or crackers on cheese dips, salsa, and hummus before eating them.
In fact, the dips are thick enough to coat food. However, their textures can always depend on the way they are made. They can often be thick, sometimes be liquidy, and even can have consistency in between thick and runny.
Condiments Vs Sauces Vs Dips- Usage In Cooking
So as you clearly see, all sauces and dips can be condiments when they are used at the end of the cooking procedure or when used after a particular dish is served.
But, conversely, condiments are not always about sauces and dips as things like pastes, oils, and spreads can also be a part of them.
However, there are complex differences when it comes to sauces and dips, too. As we discussed earlier, some sauces can be an ingredient of the original recipe of certain dishes, act as a condiment, and also a dip. We can give you common examples like tomato sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce, etc.
While on the contrary, a dip works as an accessory to the main dish, and we don’t usually see that they become a part of an original recipe in any dish.
In addition, while we typically drizzle, pour, or rub sauces over food, we just submerge or place food in a dip to coat them in order to moisten or get an additional flavor.
Moreover, most dips are customizable and can be made at home, while we buy a lot of sauces from the store.
Examples For Popular Condiments, Dips, And Sauces
| Condiments | Sauces | Dips |
|---|---|---|
| Jam Mango chutney Olive oil Marmite Chocolate spread Honey Wasabi Pickles Margarine Cheese | Oyster sauce Soy sauce Hot sauce Tabasco Tomato sauce Chili sauce Fish sauce Hollandaise sauce Garlic sauce Cocktail sauce | Hummus Guacamole Salsa Pesto Mutabal Apple chutney Chermoula Brandade Blue cheese dip Taco dip |
Going Down With Condiments, Sauces, And Dips…
So, clearing your confusion on the difference between condiments, sauces, and dips, you see that both sauces and dips come under the general category of condiments. All sauces and dips can be condiments if they are used after the cooking process or after a certain food is served. But, all condiments are not only sauces and dips all the time.
Moreover, while a sauce can be an ingredient, a condiment, and a dip, a dip typically functions on its own but does not usually become an ingredient of any recipe. However, all these condiments as a whole improve the overall taste and quality of the food you have.
Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together
Guy Fieri
