Sauce or Condiment? Two Savory Selections

Jan 30, 2026 by Chef David

By Chef David

Sauces are an easy way to transform simple dishes into rich culinary experiences. They add a flavor boost, which can elevate meals and change their taste profile without additional preparation. Best of all, they can be placed on the table, allowing diners to add to taste. Many classic American sauces are condiments. The most common ones are ketchup, followed by mustard, BBQ sauce, and mayonnaise. The main difference between sauces and condiments is how they are used. Sauces are typically used for cooking, while condiments are put on the table.

We recently discovered two products, Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce and Elephant Green Chili Chutney, both certified kosher pareve by the Star K. Each provides a unique flavor-forward boost, a fun way to transform classic dishes into something new.

Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce

Banana Pepper Sauce

Miller’s began in 2002, making a spicy and sweet creation from vine-ripened peppers. Now they offer three varieties of banana pepper sauce – mild, hot, and habanero. All have an alluring sweetness, which we enjoyed. The spicier offerings offer a delayed flavor punch, a sweet heat that gives Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce a unique flavor. Our favorite was their habanero sauce, which is the hottest. Spice lovers can feel the burn, but we found the habanero flavor delicious. For non-spice-lovers, the taste profile of mild is delightful.

Pepper fact: Banana peppers begin as a light green. As they mature, they turn from yellow to orange to red.

Miller’s uses simple recognizable ingredients: distilled vinegar, raw sugar, fresh peppers, water, mustard seed, cornstarch, salt, turmeric, paprika, and Vitamin C (to preserve freshness). Each 1-teaspoon serving contains 5 calories.

Unlike most sauces, Miller’s contains only 1 gram of added sugar, making it a healthier selection when compared to traditional condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauces. What we liked was its consistency with subtle pepper undertones. This sauce has body and flavor, with an unmistakable sweetness, even in the spicier variations.

We suggest using Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce any time you would use ketchup or BBQ sauce. It is perfect for Super Bowl parties or BBQs. We tried it on hamburgers, steaks, fish, and even cheese sandwiches. Miller’s website suggests combining their spicy pepper sauce with cream cheese as a party dip. We found it perfect as a flavor addition in deviled eggs or tuna salad.

Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce can be purchased online and in select stores.

Elephant Green Chili Chutney

Elephant Green Chili Chutney

Chutney is a classic sauce of India, made with vinegar, spices, and sugar. Best described as zesty, sweet, and spicy, Elephant Green Chili Chutney provides a unique taste profile, a fusion of citrus and spice. We enjoyed the unusual taste profile that is not traditionally found in kosher cuisine.

It is fragrant, delivering complex layers of sweet and heat, tangy, citrusy, with the spice of chilies coming through gradually. They use simple, recognizable ingredients: vinegar, cilantro, green chili, coconut, salt, and sugar.

One tablespoon contains 25 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 210 mg of sodium, making it a relatively healthy condiment.

Elephant Green Chili Chutney was founded in 2024 by a daughter-mother team. Tanzie Turel (an economics-driven foodie) and her mother, Cashmira (a former recipe columnist and home chef), both born in Mumbai, lived in Dubai and then New York City. They combine the taste of India with a cosmopolitan flair of New York, creating a bold, zesty taste that will delight your palate.

Elephant Green Chili Chutney is a versatile sauce that can be dipped, drizzled, or used for simmering or sautéing. Tanzie suggests that chutney pairs well with cheese and recommends combining chutney with whipped cream cheese as a spread for a bagel. Consider adding chutney as a side to a vegetable and cheese platter.

Our testers felt that it worked well as a dip for chips and fries, and complements heavy/ fatty foods as an alternative to horseradish. You can add a dollop on top of your brisket or grilled salmon. We have tried drizzling it on fish, spreading it on chicken, and even on hard-boiled eggs. Or use it as a sauce to cook meat or tofu.

Elephant Green Chili Chutney can be purchased online

Sauce or Condiment?

We like the way sauces allow each diner to select their own flavor profile, adding more, less, or omitting the spice entirely. We were excited to discover Miller’s Banana Pepper Sauce and Elephant Green Chili Chutney, both bridge the space between condiment and sauce, and offer a healthier way to punch up the flavor profile without adding too much sugar and sodium.

Enjoy the combination of sweet and heat.

Happy eating.