Ingredients
3/4 c. + 2 tbsp. water
1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil (or similar neutral oil)
1/2 c. raw almonds
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. bragg liquid aminos
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. paprika
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high-powdered blender (such as a VitaMix). Slowly blend for one minute. Turn the dial up to high, and continue to blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Store in the refrigerator. Sauce may separate. Stir and it’s as good as new.
Notes
• Nutritional Yeast and Bragg Liquid Aminos can be found at Whole Foods. If you’re not vegan, the ingredients may seem like a bit of an investment. But let me tell you, it’s one worth making.
• 2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup (If you happen to have one of those laying around.)
• Although I haven’t tried it, I think a food processor will work to make this sauce.
• This sauce doesn’t last long enough in my fridge to figure out its shelf life.
• If you’re stopping through San Diego, you must give the real deal a try. It just might revolutionize your life. Word on the street—they may start shipping soon.
• If doing Whole30, coconut aminos can be substituted for bragg aminos.
Can anyone tell me average amount of time this recipe is good for in the frig? I love this recipe but it’s only me and sometimes I don’t get through it in a well but it’s never looked or smelled bad.
Love this recipe and make it all the time but would like to omit the oil. What can I use to thicken in place of oil?
Oh ya!!! This is damn good.
I never comment and despise those who make modifications. So, here are my modifications.
Add 1/2 cup Bud Light
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Capers
6 tbsp dried parsley.
Only kidding. Below are my modifications:
2 tbsp lemon juice
No salt
1/2 tsp coriander
Didn’t have any liquid amino so used soy sauce.
Soak almonds first, drain water and add to Vitamix. Add water 1/4 cup at a time and continue to add more water to desired consistency.
Thanks so much for this recipe.
Oops, it’s all gone. Need to make more.
HOLY COW! It’s good as the original one! I used to finish one tub of the original Bithcin Sauce in one sitting (don’t judge) with crackers and sometimes with pasta. THIS is a life and wallet saver. Thank for sharing!!
Perfect! And love that I can make it myself and control the amount of oil!
Followed recipe exactly other than using smoked paprika. Used a NutriBullet. Consistency is thicker than what you buy at store especially after refrigeration. Looks like Bitchin. Taste is good but a little off and bland and I don’t have the palette to know what’s missing. But it’s a keeper!
I’ve tried 3 different copy cat recipies besides this one. This one is Waaaay too watery. I’m assuming a typo was involved in the wate or oil amount. Spices are close but overall …. Waste of my time…
This is delicious! I just made it and what a pretty spot on dupe to the original. I made the chipotle version oil free and it came out pretty darn good. Thank you for sharing.
Love this recipe but I think there’s a key step missing that should honestly be added into the actual recipe to solve everyone saying it’s far too watery, grainy, or they can’t get the hummus like texture.
BOIL THE 3/4 CUP WATER AND ADD to raw almonds first. I chopped them a bit because I’m impatient. Let it cool down separately while you add all other ingredients to blender. Once they’re swelled and soft add them in and blend away!! I had to blend longer than suggested. I used a Vitamix and I’m not sure that a food processor would be able to blend it well enough. It heated up more from blending on high and was much easier to pour into containers. I also think the chipotle version is superior- all you add is one chipotle in adobo and chopped onion.
This stuff is WAY better than the one at costco in my opinion.
My mom gave me this recipe and she’s a cooking genius and told me about boiling the water.
This is now my official “what to bring” for any event. LOCE IT. I double the recipe every time I make it because there’s no point in making only one batch.
IMPORTANT to note that when I double the recipe I only use 3/4 c. water, which is just under the amount for a single batch. It would be far too watery if I used as much as the recipe calls for, as someone else noted in a comment. I also blend for longer than the recipe calls for to get to a creamy consistency (I don’t have one of the super-duper high-powered blenders).
Wish I could edit to fix that typo! That’s what I get for not looking at it one more time before clicking the button. For the record, LOVE IT.
I am about to try this recipe but I will first use my food processor to make almond butter, then the Vitamix to blend it all together because this is how I’ve been thickening up store bought Bitchen sauce. I add two huge table spoons of almond butter made from 50% raw almonds and 50% smoke house almonds. After it’s blended, it needs to chill in the fridge overnight to thicken completely. The result is even better than bitchen sauce and really thick. I may try the almond flour idea I read in someone’s comments. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
I used what I had on hand: peanut oil instead of grapeseed, 1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce) instead of chili powder, coco aminos instead of bragg liquid aminos. Also left out the coriander, but added a 1/2 tsp of maple syrup.
YUM YUM! Like the original!!
I used to eat Bitchin Sauce all the time when I lived in SoCal. While this recipe comes pretty close, it was way too watery. The BS I always had was the consistency of hummus, if not thicker. I used a food processor, not a Vitamix. I had to add ~1 cup more almonds (and spices) to get it even close to hummus-like texture. I also thought that there was too much lemon juice. I don’t think it needed those +2 tbsps. Next time I will halve the water and tweak the other bits and it will be *chefs kiss*. Thank you for figuring out the recipe!! I love having this reminder of SoCal.
Do you think this would be good with hazelnuts?
This is crazy close to the original. Used cashews—out to almonds. Worked perfectly. Thank you! Delish!
Looks creamy and delicious! Is it spicy?
Love this. Cut the oil a bit and added some spices for different flavor. So good!
Hey Melissa,
First of all, I love the name of your recipe. I like that your sauce contains healthy ingredients; it will do well with my crispy chips. I would also like some for my aunt who lives far away. How long do you think it can last in transit?
I loved this recipe. Like so many others, I am absolutely addicted to the stuff. I did make a slight change in using less oil. My favorite store flavor is the cilantro. Do you think I could just add some to this?
Thank you.
Yes! I added some artichoke hearts and spinach since that is my favorite and it was great!
Mmmm, just tried that flavor the other day (fortunately I live in the San Francisco area and get them all here. Tried the chipotle (chipotle is my favorite Tabasco flavor) and another, but can’t go wrong with the OG.
How much spinach/artichoke did you use? That one is my favorite flavor!
I have an abundance of almond meal (tried to be a macaron maker and failed). How would you sub meal for whole almonds? Equal?
Equal weight, just add more lemon juice if you need the texture to be thinner. 1/2 cup almonds = 71 g.
Yay!!! I love all sorts of savory creamy sauces. I’m all over this one. Thanks for sharing this article.
Aloha,
I followed this recipe except I only had garbonzo beans instead of almonds…also didnt have corriander.
It turned out marvelous.
And I added chipotle and Im in heaven.
Unusual for me I followed the actual recipe and my first thought on tasting it was that is very similar to hummus.
Do you use the same 1/2 cup for garbanzo?
Thanks
Fantastic recipe.
I don’t own a high speed blender, so I used almond paste. You need just a little bit less water as the first time it turned out quite runny.
I live overseas and can’t get it at the store, I must say, it’s 99% the same, the only 1% difference is the feel that you get from opening the lid knowing that you are about to munch on the whole thing in one sitting.
Awesome recipe.
Love this recipe! So simple and looks so tasty! Can’t wait to make it. Thank you!
I’ve found it at local grocery stores and Target in Chicago area.
I live in NC now and I’ve seen it at Whole Foods and Costco sometimes. I used to buy it at my local farmers market in San Diego directly from the founder. Seeing it expand over the years makes me happy for him. I still cheat and make it myself most of the time. Try it on eggs with avocado, it’ll change your world!
Sounds good to me!! Thanks.
I could only find adobo paste and added 3 T. I increased salt by 1/4 t and cumin by 1/4 t. Pretty close……
I can’t wait to try your recipe. We recently visited friends in CO and had the dip for the first time. We had to buy some on the way out of town. We got the Bombay version and are OBSESSED, but only bought one. Any plans to recreate that one?!? I NEED it in my life!!
FANTABULOUS!!!
I have made a few different copycat recipes for the sinfully delicious, Bitchin’ Sauce…and this BY FAR is my favorite! So much so that I am taking time to comment, and I rarely comment on recipes!!! I doubled the recipe (because that’s how addicted I am to this stuff!) I hate when peeps review a recipe but tell us how much they changed….I’m about to do that now (ha!) because I feel like it’s very minimal and doesn’t take away from the integrity of your original recipe. I used smoked paprika instead of regular. I actually found some cherry smoked sea salt that I had from another recipe so added that in place of the regular salt. And I just increased the chili powder a bit to give it a little bit more spice. Otherwise, I made it exact and you are a genius! I would say “Winner, winner, chicken dinner”, but I am vegan….so that doesn’t work so well. LOL Thank you, Faux Martha, for this fantastic copycat! Pinned right smack dab into my “Plant-Based Faves” file! Yummmm….
Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to write and for sharing your updates! Also, laughing over here at your joke. Ha!
Question, would you consider swapping the almonds for chickpeas to make it but free? Do you think that would work well?
***nut free.
That could be super good! It’ll take it more in the runny hummus direction, which is never a bad thing! If you end up trying it, will you let me know? I’m so interested to hear how it turns out.
I am so happy I discovered this recipe! Bitchin’ Sauce has become a staple in my home, but we live in the middle of nowhere so when we run out, we’re out for weeks. Happily, I just so had most of the ingredients on hand. I had to swap the nutritional yeast for shiitake mushroom powder but the taste is pretty dang good all the same. My finished sauce is pretty runny though… On realizing I accidentally doubled the lemon juice, I doubled everything else. It is still really runny (as runny as fresh squeezed oj). Is it supposed to be really thin? Do you think it was the swap of nut. yeast for shroom powder, or my KitchenAid blender instead of a Vitamix…???? It tastes amazing so it will certainly get eaten, but when I next mix it up, I’d love to get it right. Any suggestions?
Don’t add water until you are ready to fine tune the texture!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’m making a big batch of zucchini chips this weekend, and this sauce will pair perfectly with them. I’m excited to try it!
That sounds so good!
Took some advice from others and didn’t add ANY water and took out the extra 2 tablespoons of lemon juice- IT WAS SO GOOD!!!! Also I used 1/4 c of freshly ground almond butter from the grocery store instead of whole almonds as my blender is weak!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
This looks so good! What a versatile sauce for veggies and other snacks!
Omg omg omg!!! It’s actually bitchinsauce! I was skeptical but it tastes the same! I’ll never buy b sauce again! I soaked my almonds and used chili flakes instead of powder. So so so so yum!!!!
Funny story -They copied bitchin sauce from the yumm sauce in Oregon! They loved the sauce, figured out the recipe and relabeled it! The genius name and good business model is what got them far!
This is a great repro of Bitchin sauce and if you are from Oregon – it also tastes like the amazing Yumm sauce! Which is from the Yumm restaurants in the PNW – they make awesome BOWLS of rice and veggies in a variety of ways and top with YUMM sauce.
My favorite way to either sauce is on a baked potato, but brown rice with veggies is also amazing!
Very close to the real deal. I would cut back or cut out the chili powder next time, and add a small pinch of mace.
Some commented a few years ago that they froze it and after a defrost in the fridge, it tasted great.
I’m going to give it a whirl b/c we doubled the batch to share with friends and are now in quarantine without enough crackers or carrots so…..
I recently found chipolte bitchin sauce at Costco, in Iowa!!
It almost feels wrong how good this sauce is. I LOVE the original San Diego Bitchin’ Sauce, but I always feel like I have to ration it because it is a little spendy. You have set me free! Now I can put generous amounts of it on anything! EVERYTHING! This recipe is just like (maybe even better) than the real thing, and for a fraction of the cost! I soaked the almonds, as some have recommended, and just used my regular blender and it came out perfectly creamy. I just had it over a bowl of quinoa with chickpeas and spinach. It didn’t need anything else. You are a sorceress of sauce. Bravo!
OMG, it tastes just like the real thing!!!! Super impressed with this straight forward recipe. Bought the Bitchin sauce at the PCC here in Seattle, fell in love with it but had a tough time paying $6.50 for a tiny container of this sauce. Doubled the recipe and have 3 containers in my fridge!!! I halved the oil and added almond milk instead. Also added a little paprika and it’s so yummmmmmy!
Tried this tonight and I LOVE it!! Thank you for sharing!
HELP! I doubled the batch and it is really, really thin. Any suggestions?? Thank you! 🙂
Mine came out really thin too so I added some ground chia seeds to thicken it. Next time I’ll cut the water to 1/2 cup I think.
I saw the comments that it turned out too watery, so I started with half water *just in case*. It was too watery! I couldn’t believe the amount needed. Then I read the instructions again and it said to blend on high for 2 minutes… so I tried blending again. It thickened up! So then I added all the water the recipe called for and blended on high and it all came together. It starts off watery but then it emulsified.
I didn’t add chili powder at first for my daughters’ sakes, but the lemon was overpowering without it. So I put in half the amount of chili powder and the lemon was tamed.
Great recipe! Thank you!
Isn’t it so weird how it thickens? And then thickens some more as it sets. So glad you liked it! Thanks for writing!
It’s still thin even after a long blend. Cut at least 2T (ounce) from the water. But it depends on whether you want a sauce or a dip. Both could work in different circumstances.
Costco in San Diego sells it
And a few in Orange County
Also Mothers Market…pricey $8.00 for small
Gonna try making my own,thanks
Just found Bitchin’ Sauce here in Iowa and we are smitten! This is at least 95% as good as the real deal. I love to dip with cucumber slices and pretzels! Perfect for when the real thing isn’t on sale 😉 Thank you!!!
Delicious! I tried BS for the first time this year, and looked for it again at Costco today. I’m so glad they didn’t have it because your recipe is just as yummy. I subbed olive oil and soy sauce for the bragg’s but it was still perfect. Also added some chipotle sauce and doubled the almonds because it was very runny. THank you!
I am losing my mind over how good this recipe is. You’re a mad genius! I don’t have a Vitamix so next time I’ll soak the almonds overnight as suggested by some of the other commenters. In the meantime, I pushed mine through a fine mesh strainer and that worked to remove some of pieces my NutriBullet didn’t grind. Has anyone tried to freeze this? I can’t see why it wouldn’t work? The recipe makes quite a lot, so I might try throwing half in the freezer to see if there are any issues when it thaws. Thanks again. Love, love, love that I have a way to make this easily at home!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I tried this with avocado oil add I didn’t have grapeseed in hand. Worked like a charm with a couple minutes in the Vitamix.i came out thick and creamy, even more so than the real deal. I was amazed and absolutely thrilled. This will save me money and trips to my local store in SD. I love eating this stuff on fresh veggies!
The flavor is quite similar to original bitchin sauce, but maybe a bit too lemony. And it’s not nearly as thick, mine came out quite liquid, it should be almost as thick as hummus. Next time I’ll leave out a bit of lemon juice, and only add the water at the end. I may try soaking the almonds too, since I don’t have a vitamin (used a food processor). Would love to hear if anyone tried to recreate the pesto version, it’s my favorite!
I added 1/4 c of olive oil instead of grapeseed. I think I added too much lemon (need only 1 squeezed instead of 2) b/c it came out really runny. I added more almonds and that fixed the issue. Great sauce!!
Just got home from San Diego where I discovered these sauces because they were giving them away free! The sauces can be purchased at Costco and whole foods now and come in 6 varieties. They are no longer going to be doing farmer’s markets.
Hi there! Just made this today, delicious!! I subbed coconut aminos for soy aminos and extra light olive oil for grape seed oil. I combined all ingredients except the water and blended on high speed until the blender stopped. I then drizzled in water until it started moving again and what I ended up with was practically an emulsion texture similar to mayo. Phenomenal. I added a total of 1/2 c of water for my perfectly creamy and thick consistency. Now I actually have never had the real deal and I don’t know what to put it on! Suggestions?
Baked fish! I dab dry a defrosted Costco Mahi Mahi filet, lightly seasoned with kosher salt and dry Harissa spice blend, place it on a baking tray in a small amount of EVOO. Bake at 400 for 5 min, turn fish, place thinly sliced veggies (I use green onions, mushrooms and zucchini, also tossed with small amount of same stuff) and sprinkle around the fish for the 2nd 5 minutes. I plate it with the fish on top of the veggies, spoon ~1-2 t. of the Bitchin Sauce on top. Dinner in 10 min or less!
THANK YOU!! for the sauce recipe! I’m wondering how you would modify it to make the Pesto Sauce? Any advice? Have you tried doing that yet?
I make the pesto version all the time, just add a big handful of fresh basil! More or less depending on how much you like basil…
Bless you!! I bought two flavor a of Bitchin’ Sauce at a farmers market when we visited our daughter and ate it all before we left”. They do ship to Virginia, but the one location is not convenient for us. I just bought $28 worth of raw organic almonds, so all I am missing is the nutritional yeast! Let the snacking begin!
Bitchin’ is an adjective, not a verb.
Stop your bitchin’. There, that makes it a verb.
noun + verb = nerb
Now stop bitchin’.
Has anyone tried this on pasta? I’m so tempted, but before I venture into this I wanted to check here first.
Yassss sooo good
This sounds so good ! Has anyone done it without the oil or replaced with something else ??
OMG this is so yummy!
So it is suuuuper delicious and tastes just like bitchin sauce! Mine came out very liquidy though. Is there any way to thicken it up a bit? Thanks!
Yes, I use a whole c of almonds.
Bitchin Sauce is my absolute favorite. Where I live, it’s all the rage. It Thank you for the recipe, it gets expensive buying it every week!
sorry but i don’t know what the little “c’s” mean. can someone tell me? thanks
Cups
this recipe is wayyyy too watery and might be decieving for someone who has never had the real thing, for its quite a bit thicker. I would recommend editing it, because as it is it’s like a very thin milkshake with 2 ice cubes consistency.
Hi Laundra! You might need to blend just a little longer for the sauce to thicken. If that’s not the case with your blender, omit some of the water to your desired consistency.
I cannot thank you enough for posting this recipe! I made it today and it turned out excellent! I made a cilantro lime version by adding a jalapeno and a big handful of fresh cilantro. It tastes exactly like the original except with a little more heat (the way I like it). Totally worth the effort!! Thank you again 🙂
I just tried making this recipe, and the consistency was WAY off. I ended up having to use twice as many almonds as it calls for. Anyone else have this problem?
Can I use coconut aminos instead the Bragg’s? Trying to make it Whole 30 compliant.
I’m not familiar with the ingredient. If it’s salty like bragg’s and also in liquid form it should be fine. Let me know if you try!
I used to live in SD and was in love with this sauce. I can find it at Whole Foods in LA, but it’s $6 and I just can’t bring myself to pay that for something that may not last longer than a day in my house. I had to add some extra almonds to get the creaminess I wanted, then I had to bump up the spices and lemon juice — but I think that’s because I didn’t use grapeseed oil (I didn’t have any on hand). Will definitely make this again and again, and will also try the flavor variations. Thanks for the bitchin’ recipe!
Do you happen to know the the heat recipe?
I had this recently on a trip to California but cant get it in the Boston area so want to make it my self…thanks
So i made some this morning…I didn’t add the yeast…Followed the above direction and also added in one Jalapeno Pepper…..Should of added two…Forgot Tabasco.
Oh Yeah – Also used Flax Seed oil…worked great.
I’ve never tried it! I need to get some delivered to figure out the rest of the variations!
My fiancé absolutely loves this recipe, I make him a batch every week, and we eat it with veggies or on fish. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for coming back and leaving a note!
Thank you for this awesome recipe! I made this for my family and we finished it in two days! I didn’t have grape seed oil so I subbed with avocado oil, which worked great with no overpowering taste. We poured it on baked potatoes and roasted broccoli the 1st night & used it on veggie burgers the second night. It was also fantastic as a dip for tortilla chips. I would put this on just about anything! It is a keeper for sure. 🙂
I was so glad to have found this as we love the Bitchin’ sauce, particularly the chipotle. However, I have to say that this recipe didn’t quite live up to the original. Both my husband and I found it to be too lemony and too liquid (I even had put in 1 tsp. less as I had run out). After adding in more almonds, I decided to convert to the Chipotle version hoping to mask the taste, but also, so such luck.
we love the recipe! Thank you! We eat so much of this and it gets to be very expensive!
Does anyone have any idea what are the spices and proportions for the “bombay” flavor?
Also, I don’t add as much water as this recipe calls for because it starts separating after a few hours or is too liquefy. Instead i add a splash of organic veggie broth. Just enough for the mixture to become nice and smooth…. Yum!!!!
Followed this recipe, but added a pinch of Xanthan Gum to prevent separation and thicken a tad.
I don’t have a vitamix so I was thinking about using some fresh ground almond butter from whole foods, do you think this would require a 1/2 cup?
Oh such a good question. I recently posted a pesto made with Justin’s Almond Butter and it was sooo good! It it would work so well here but I’m not sure how much tell you without testing. Let me know what you end up finding!
I am wondering if you can suggest a substitute for the oil? I am not a fat free freak, but would like to use it liberally on broccoli so I will eat my freaked veggies and not ingest 300g of fat in the process (because I would use that much, seriously. I live this sauce)
You can try using water or lemon juice or a combination of the two. Either way, it will alter the flavor. The water will dilute and the lemon will add acid. Let me know what you end up trying!
The link to the chipotle version is gone. Is there another link to get to the chipotle version?
Thanks for the heads up! Fixed. Here it is for easy access.
I stumbled across your bitchin bowl recipe today while searching for brown rice recipes for my new rice cooker. I now have a batch of bitchin sauce that I made in my vitamix and all I can say is wow. Do I really want to know about the calorie counts? Or should I just pretend that it’s good for me when I eat it every day? Can’t wait to try it on the bitchin bowl for lunch tomorrow.
I’ve never heard of bitchin’ sauce but I’m dying to try it now after reading your description!! Do you think you could sub tamari for the liquid aminos? 🙂
Do you have the adjustments for the other Bitchin sauces – cilantro lime or chipolte? I live in Boulder CO and they’ve been sampling Bitchin sauces at our WF – fell in love instantly. Thanks for giving us a chance to make it at home!!
I have one for the Chipotle version here. Cilantro Lime sounds so good! I haven’t tried that one. It’s about time I do a new flavor!
I would like to soak the almonds for a bit in the water (like 4 hrs) bc I think it will be easier on my blender, but do you think it will have the right consistency?
I’ve never tried the soak method, so I’m not 100% sure. I think people have commented on their soaking experience in previous comments. Let me know how it turns out!
Just made it and absolutely loved it. Sooo close to the original Bitchin’ sauce. Thanks a lot for the recipe <3
I don’t have a vitamix and tried this in my cheap blenders (all 3)…. the almonds were “chunky” :O( It was still edible and my family ate it all BUT, can I use almond flour? or maybe blend the almonds first to get the right texture?
I am an OG from SD and have tasted the real Bitchin and must say that you got the recipe down! Thanks for sharing it with http://WWW….
Some people have soaked the almonds overnight first. Almond flour sounds like a genius idea though! I’m guessing you’d use less. Let me know if you try it that way!
Maybe use almond flour equivalent by weight?
You are AWESOME! I moved out of San Diego a year ago and this is probably the thing I miss most (OK…second only to Bencotto restaurant) about living there! I cannot wait to try the chipotle recipe…. and have Bitchin’ sauce in my life again! Thank you!! 🙂
I’m back to say that I made the chipotle bitchin’ sauce tonight, and it tastes EXACTLY like the real thing. Thank you so much! I thought I wouldn’t be able to taste this addictive stuff ever again unless I paid the crazy shipping charges to have it shipped to me from San Diego, lol. THANK YOU!!
YESSS! So glad you like it! Years later, we still love this stuff.
Do you think I can replace the grapeseed oil with flaxseed oil? I have that and it’s still sitting in my fridge, begging to be used in something!
Thanks!
Well this is embarrassing, I’ve never really worked with flaxseed oil. If it’s neutral in taste, if should work just fine with the other flavors.
Has anyone use this as a salad dressing? Will it be too thick?
You can! But you may want to thin with a bit of water first.
I can’t wait to make this and I’ve read all the comments, but has anyone tried canning it in a water bath? I’m sure it’s so good and gone you don’t need to, but was just curious. Thanks!
OMG – thank you so much. Bitchin Sauce is amazing. I put the chipotle version on rice and beans, along with avocado, and serve it with Toasted Head Chardonnay (a chardonnay made in barrels that are toasted, and have a fun kick.) BTW, San Diego Whole Foods carries it now too.
I love stuff like this. But with new food allergies, I’ve had to give up sauces like this. So, I think the only one here would be almonds — could I sub another nut (and which would be better? Assuming cashews?). Thanks so much, excited to try this!!
Cashews would make a nice and creamy sauce and probably yield a note of sweetness too. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Well, I did try the cashews, and it was a bit too sweet. I guess I should try a more plain nut — I added some macadamia nuts and that helped. There was still a bit of tart sweetness from elsewhere, maybe the lemon? Anyway, it’s a ‘just alright’ sauce as is, maybe I’ll try a smaller batch with mac nuts, I didn’t realize how much it made! 🙂
Hi!
I tried to make this in my vitamix following your exact instructions and it came out in a thick consistency. I could barely get it out of the vitamix. Am I doing something wrong? Any suggestions on how I can make the consistency correct? Please let me know, thanks so much!
Hey Holly! Not doing anything wrong. Sometimes this happens to me too. Not sure if it’s the variation of almonds or the amount of time I blended it. You can always add a bit more water to thin it out. I do notice after the sauce settles the next day, it wont be quite as thick.
Do you need to soak the almonds?
Only if you’re worried about the gusto/power of your blender/food processor. Otherwise, blend away!
Made it last night (with a few substitutions-namely coconut oil and garlic coconut aminos) and it was delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe.
What purpose does the nutritional yeast serve? I am allergic to yeast. Can I just leave it out? Or is there an appropriate replacement? I don’t care if it’s vegan or not.
I believe it helps it to give a creamy texture. I’ve never tried it without. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you try it!
Nutritional yeast gives a “cheesy” flavor to the sauce. Many vegans make their cashew or almond “cheez” with nutritional yeast to give it the “taste” and creamy texture of the real thing.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I don’t live near SD, but found this sauce in my local Whole Foods, bought some (chipotle) to take on an RV trip. It was sinfully good by itself, but I used it to coat trout I’d caught before steaming it in foil. Best camping trout ever! I usually feel indifferent towards stocked rainbow trout–too bland–but we ended up having this dish 3 of our 9 dinners. I like the fact that I can now make the sauce at home instead of schlepping to WF for it. Looking forward to trying it in other dishes.
Hi! Can i use tamari or soy sauce instead of bragg’s liquid amino? I live in Dubai and unfortunately we don’t have a whole foods here.
I haven’t tried it but I imagine there would be little to no difference. Hope you love it!
This is the BEST! I’m obsessed with Bitchin’ Sauce since tasting it on a trip to SD, and then $60 later, I had a pack shipped to my office in NYC and made my co-workers believers. So excited to try this!
Question: my blender is a piece of crap (but pink, so that helps), and I saw you mentioned using a food processor – has anyone else tried this? While I have been lusting after a Vitamix, I don’t have the counter or cabinet space for one. Le sigh.
Thanks, folks!
Hey Amaya! I think some people have tried soaking the almonds overnight to soften first with great success. I’m guessing you’ll want to drain the water after soaking and do the recipe as follows. Hope this helps!
Awesome! I made the b*tchin sauce yesterday & was licking the blender 😉 SO GOOD!!
Just made it using sunflower oil since I didn’t have grape seed. No problem with separation after settling. I just blended all the ingredients except the oil, then drizzled in so it emulsified. Thanks for sharing. You have a wonderfully helpful and friendly site. Aloha from Kauai. 🙂
OMG!!!! This sauce is BITCHIN!!! I went out hiking with my little girl and my mom today and told mom all about the pin I had found for “bitchin sauce” she asked what that was and I told her I didn’t know any thing more than that it was sauce so amazing that bitchin was the only way to describe it. Needless to say I made it when I got home and let me tell you…..as someone who recently divorced dairy this is a god sent!!!! It is so creamy and rich and AMAZING. Totally bitchin. You are my hero today.
I am a vegan and I am trying, but not succeeding, to convince my husband to be vegan. While he does love my vegan cooking he still loves meat sadly for me! He does agree however that bitchin sauce is divine. While we have never been to San Diego and tried the real deal ( we live in Australia) your version is delicious! We think it would work on anything and especially love it on salad….. Making something healthy a bit naughty!!!
Thanks for the recipe
OH YAY!!!!!!! I’m in San Diego and buy this stuff every week. Just today I told my husband that I have to start making it as the bitchin’ sauce is getting expensive! We eat it on a salad with brown rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, onions and tortilla chips. We eat it every single day. LOVE.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
So, I have been making this weekly for the past two months! I moved from San DIego over the summer. I REALLY missed Bitchin Sauce! Found this recipe! LIFE CHANGING!! I love it SOOO much! I make it 1 – 2 times a week! My whole family eats it! Even my amazingly picky 2 year old! I just made a batch for lunch tomorrow!! Served with cut veggies and soy rice crackers. I have shared your recipe with so many people. It’s also my go-to for when I bring an appetizer to parties!
SO delish! For anyone who remembers, Trader Joe’s used to carry something called “Hummus Nouveax” that I was addicted too. It had similar ingredients to this, and I can’t thank you enough! This totally satisfied my craving!
*hummus nouveau*
OMG, I just made the chipotle version for a Mexican Buddha Bowl I am making for dinner. Wow, that is delicious! As a dip, sauce, whatever. Thank you for this recipe. I always use Veganaise for my “creamy” sauces, but now I had a much healthier option. So YUMMY I was eating it out of a spoon!
Never heard of this until I came across your blog after my husband became vegan. This matched my daughter’s food allergy issues, too, so we went for it and it was amazing! Adults and kids loved it. We subbed coconut oil for the grapeseed oil, but the rest was the same. Very strong, tangy flavor, which I love-love. Tonight I’ve made it again to serve over baked potatoes. Thank you!!!
Can I use safflower oil instead of grape seed? Or olive oil? I don’t have grapeseed and I want to make this TODAY! 🙂
I’ve never tried it but I’m sure it would be fine!
Love this recipe. Mine was a little thinner than I like. thanks for the tip on white wine vinegar and sweet onion. I notice on the side of my little tub from the Farmer’s market that tomato is an ingredient. Hmm. Did you add any? thanks.
What oils can I sub for the grapeseed oil… Evoo? Is coconut Aminos ok instead of liquid aminos? Also have you tried their bitchin’ bar? Maybe you can recreate that too! Thanks, can’t wait to try this recipe
You can sub a different oil, but it will probably yield a slightly differently flavor. The listed ingredients on the original Bitchin Sauce calls for grapeseed oil. I would go with another neutral tasting oil. As for coconut aminos, I’ve never worked with it before so I’m not entirely sure. Sorry I can’t be of more help. I didn’t know they had a bitchin bar. I can only imagine how good it is!
I made this as posted- delish. I live in San Diego and buy this all the time at the weekly Farmers Market. Now I can do it myself! A couple of questions on the chipotle recipe: what type of onion (yellow, red, white, sweet, etc.) and type of vinegar? Thanks for this recipe!
Yeah! So glad you like it. I typically use sweet onions in all of my recipes. I haven’t tested this recipe with other types. And for vinegar—I usually use a white wine vinegar or whatever I have on hand. Hope this helps!
Wow, thank you Fauxmartha!! I have been looking for a recipe for this stuff since the first time I had it two years ago, you do good work:) Also, for those of you that don’t have a power blender, I used Trader Joe’s almond butter and it works perfectly!
Just made this. Totally worthy of its name. I’m dreaming of dipping hunks of focaccia in this saucy goodness. Thank you!
LOVE bitchin sauce! I frequent the farmers market and always buy 3. BTW they have a ranch flavored one which is soooo delicious. I use bitchin sauce on everything. I use it on sandwiches, eggs,rice and beans,anything and everything I can find an excuse to put it on. BTW in case nobody has mentioned anything, the little tubs of sauce are freeze-able, BUT they have to defrost in the fridge for at least a day and you have to leave them alone, no stirring, no touching, nothing. Just stick them in the fridge for a day and open it and enjoy the following day. Thanks again for the recipe! I’ll soon be moving and will need it! I’d love to know if you ever make the ranch kind.
I live in San Diego and love this sauce! I make a similar sauce that I use as the coating mixture to coat kale for raw/vegan kale chips. Just pinned this sauce b/c I could pretty much just eat it…on…everything! Chips, veggies, as a tofu marinade, you name it!
I love the bitchin sauce from the farmers market in San Diego. I get it a coupe times a month and devour within a few days. Thanks for recreating the recipe – I can’t wait to try to make it at home.
So happy to have found this! I LOVE bitchin’ sauce, but I’m in Texas for grad school! It’s also (mostly) paleo! 🙂 I love it most on eggs! Sounds strange, but don’t knock it till you try it! 😉
How fun to find another blogger who recreated this recipe. I live in SD and after writing a profile on the founder, Ryan Smith, decided I had to try and make the sauce too. I like soaking the almonds and rubbing off the skins. http://reciperenovator.com/special-diets/vegan/smoky-creamy-almond-sauce/
So fun! Thanks for leaving a comment. Your recipe looks great!
Bitchin’ is shippin’
http://bitchinsauce.com/Bitchin_Sauce/Online_Ordering,_Pricing,_Shipping.html
Finally got around to making this, since I had to buy the yeast and aminos. After being vegetarian for about 18 years, I finally had to cut out dairy too a few months ago.. this sauce (and some other great stuff) means I don’t miss it at all. THANKS for a great recipe!
forgot to mention, I had to use a food processor, and I’m cheap so I used an olive oil and Canola mixture since I had no grapeseed at home. It was a little thin, I reduced the water by a 1/4 cup. Still came out deliciously.
ok this looks awesome! reminds me of sort of how I make the coating for my kale chips (1 red pepper, 1 c soaked cashews, 1/2 c nooch, squirt of lemon, salt & pepper, pinch of cayenne) & Blend. Douse over the kale and bake or dehyd or eat the coating as a salad dressing 🙂 now I want to make yours!
Did you use the Vitamix wet blade or dry blade?
I used the wet blade.
OMG!!! I live in San Diego & frequent the Bitchin’ Sauce stand at the Farmers’ Market often & have always wanted to recreate it myself! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Thank you so much for figuring this recipe out! I had the luxury of trying some Bitchin’ Sauce when I was in San Diego but I’m from Toronto, Canada and we certainly don’t have this stuff up here! Can’t wait to make it 🙂
Very yummy stuff! I used ground raw almonds because it was cheaper than either the whole raw or sliced raw ones. I’ve been using it on Bitchin’ Bowls made with quinoa…tasty and healthy!
Must say I love my Bitchin’ Sauce. Thank you so much for posting this. Excellent recipe, but it seemed a little thin compared to the real product that I purchase at SD farmers markets, which is more like hummus in consistency. I upped the soaked almonds to 1 cup, increased the yeast by a tablespoon and used fresh cilantro. I think it comes out a little closer to the original in terms of consistency and flavor. Can’t wait to experiment more with this general recipe though. Thanks again!
I agree with Beau, it came out thinner than BS. I added 1/2 c more almonds and a pinch more of each seasoning. Delish!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Thanks for this!
I lived in San Diego, and just moved to AZ, and looked for it here, not knowing it was SD only. i just made a batch and its in the fridge now, i cant wait to see how it turns out!!!!
And to all who want to know whats this is good for,
FISH TACOS!
yeah….omg, so friggin good.
It’s also great as a sandwich condiment, for those of us who don’t like mayo. Thanks for the fish taco tip!
This may seem like a silly question, but when you say coriander, do you mean dried or fresh? cheers!
Ah, good question—I use dried but fresh sounds even better!
Any chance you can hook us up with a calorie count per serving? That would be swell! (ps: pretty please?) :-)))))
I believe it’s about 95 calories for 2 tablespoons…
You are great! Thanks for figuring this out!
I made this recipe earlier this week- my goodness I have to stop myself from eating it with a spoon it’s so delicious! Thank you for sharing your awesome recipe. It’s just so tasty… I love it on a piece of toast, with raw veggies, on avocados. It would be good with chips, wraps, sandwiches, burgers… Brava!
UM WOW. I honestly expected to be dissappointed—there are so many bad-for-you-sauces—I just couldn’t believe it would measure up. Holy moly it did. Thanks for making this a mexican night staple from here on out!
OMG!! Just made this sauce and YUMMO!!!! Thanks so much for the recipe this will become a staple in my house.
I am a HUGE “Bitchin” fan ever since getting hooked during a vacation that included a trip to the SD farmer’s market! I have made multiple efforts to order it, but they are still working on that process. I found your recipe and decided to take the leap of faith. Let me start by saying thank you! My finished product is truly “bitchin!” Next, allow me to warn any other adventurers that IF you intend to use the food processor…DO NOT EVEN GO THERE!!! Lucky for me my friend an neighbor happened to own a vitamix. I would have never made it to the the wonderful finished product without her saving me. By the time she got here my kitchen was covered in mess along with multiple dirty messy gadgets (including the food processor). The vitamix was the most important part of the recipe after trying and failing with the alternate approach! My favorite “Bitchin” sauce is the chipotle. I made a batch of original and one of chipotle by doubling the original recipe. Once I finished that, I poured out half the finished batch for my “original” then in the blender half added one chipotle and a hand full of organic cilantro. BINGO! that worked like a charm!! ready for my crazy bitchin bowls! Thanks so much! Now I’m afraid a vitamix may be in my future.
PS- mine did NOT take 7 minutes! Only part of that was due to the 2 year old assistant I had!!!
No need for a Vitamix – I have a cheap Nutri Bullet knockoff and it worked just fine.
I bought Chipotle Bitchin’ Sauce at my local Farmer’s Market and liked it so much, I kept the lid (with ingredients list) to attempt to make it myself. Of course, a month has passed and I have not done a thing.Then…WHAM! A friend posts a link that says something about “Bitchin’ Sauce”. Could it be?! I looked at the ingredient list and realized I had everything in my kitchen already–SCORE! I made it…and it is true…it tastes exactly as I remember it! Better yet, it took me only 7 minutes (yes, I timed it). Thank you so much!!!
well i’ll be eating this all the time now… thanks for adding to my dinner rotation!! this is bitchin good!
Wow, this is kinda intriguing… I’m sold just based on your description and photos (of course). A trip to Whole Foods is in order!
Probably goes against the vegan spirit of it, but I wonder if it’s good on a burger?
I made this night and it was SO GOOD. Thank you for posting this. I wanted to eat it with everything!
Sounds yummy! Quick question, if someone is allergic to soy would it be much difference in leaving out the Bragg’s Aminos? Is there something to substitute it with?
Bragg’s tastes just like soy sauce (since I’m allergic to wheat, it’s my personal godsend) – so if you’ve found a soy-free soy sauce substitute, you’re good to go. Basically, it’s gonna add a saltiness, plus the subtle complexity of vegetable ingredients… So maybe a salted, concentrated veggie broth?
Coconut aminos is what I used and it is gluten free
oops, forgot the link:
http://mpchickchat.blogspot.com/2005/11/recipe-rip-off-edited.html
enjoy!
here’s another variation of the sauce– its called “yumm sauce” from portland. i think it tastes the same (though the SD guy vehemently denies that they are similar!)
thanks for posting yours.. i’ll give it a try!
Just wanted to report that I tried it loved it and am coming back for more. I’ve been trying to go more vegan after watching Forks Over Knives and this fits the bill beautifully.
Also, as a side note, for those who don’t have a Vitamix super blender, try soaking the raw almonds in the 3/4 cup of water overnight and use a food processer to puree. Works well enough although probably not as silky smooth as the Vitamix blend. Delicious all the same!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Haha I LOVE the name of this, describes this perfectly! Thanks for linking this up, I’ll definitely be trying this asap! 🙂
Bitchin’ sauce sounds like a gift from the food gods. Must give it a try.
Bitchin’! I’m totally bummed I missed the bitchin’ sauce when I was in San Diego last summer. I’m also totally impressed that a non-vegan blended up grapeseed oil, almonds, Bragg’s aminos and nutritional yeast… that’s more vegan than I’ve ever gone. I want to try it!
Ohmygoodness. I just made this and boy is it tasty, tasty, tasty! I’ve never had the “real” bitchin’ sauce, so I really didn’t know what to expect, but it’s completely wonderful. I munched on chips and bitchin’ sauce for lunch today. Mmmmm. Tomorrow’s lunch… Bitchin’ Bowl! Seriously can’t wait!
Yesss! I’m glad you loved it! Another convert. PS—I want to make your bagels. And everything else on your blog.
I’ve never heard of Bitchin’ Sauce, but you’ve made me a believer!
Just found your blog through yummly. Lovely! I feel the Martha kinship. LOL! I’m not vegan but will have to give this a try sometime along some of your other gorgeously pictured recipes. I do have a non-food related question. How do you take such amazing and clear pictures? I am trying my hand at blogging and find the pictures very challenging due to lighting and whatnot. Would love some tips from a pro!
Yes! This is amazing… all too often do curse missing the Fair on Sunday to get my weekly fix. Now instead I can make it at home. The spicy chipolte and pesto flavors are also a must try,
This is AWESOME. Can’t wait to give it a try. You are a rockstar!
I love Bitchin sauce! Thanks for the recipe!
Looks delicious! Nice blog.
http://www.PSbyDila.com
Between this and Mmmm Sauce, I think my mind has been changed on the vegan thing too!
Mmmm Sauce? Where can I get this? I think I need to try it.
Melissa, so sneaky. I feel like I live at SD Markets so I’m all too familiar with the Bitchin’ Sauce boys. They have quite a presence in the stalls yelling “are you bitchin’ today!?” at the top of their lungs. Love this stuff, but I had to stop buying it because I struggled to not finish it all in one sitting. gross. belly ache. Now I know why you were concerned about the grapeseed oil, too! I bet avocado oil would be just as good if not even creamier. Yum.
I eat way too much of it in one sitting too. Chips + sauce = trouble for me. I’ll have to give avocado oil a try. Thanks for the recco! You are a bundle of good info I need to know.
We always use avocado oil with ours and it is great!
While I like the idea, I can’t eat nuts. What could replace the almonds?
You’ve got me stumped! Almonds are the base, so I’m not sure what a good substitute would be. Anyone else have ideas?
I made this and LOVE it! A possible alternative to the almonds might be sesame or sunflower seeds or a combination of the two…or even a half cup of tahini might work. Thanks so much for the recipe!
oh, and I just checked the link below for yum sauce and it uses chickpeas; I think a combo of chickpeas and seeds could be just the ticket. ( :
Pumpkin seeds?
HEMP SEEDS! I am a self proclaimed cashew sauce queen but my best friend is allergic to cashews. I make sauces with hemp seeds for her and they turn out AWESOME!
There is a variation of this sauce served by a famous vegan restaurant in LA’s South Bay area called The Spot.
Their sauce is called Savory Sauce, and the base is tofu. It has a consistency more like Alfredo sauce and I love to drizzle (drench) it over rice/beans/roasted veggies and sautéed green bowls.
https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/creamy-tofu-savory-sauce-277729
Becoming vegan has totally turned my health around! There are more yummy ways to prepare fruits and veggies than you could ever have imagined, and this sauce is a fine example. Thanks for the post!
I’m totally a believer now! It took me long enough. You’ll have to let me know if you make it. So good to hear from you! Hope you are well.
Not only am I planning to make the sauce, but the bowl as well. We LOVE Udon bowls – very similar to this except you use Udon noodles as a base – and add whatever veggies you have on hand. Add some toasted sesame seeds – amazing!!
We’re playing the waiting game, too, now that Will’s interviews are done. He’s kinda sad about the cohort breaking up, but excited to get on with the next phase of the process.
We’re all well here.
Bev
Yes, this sauce is AMAZING! Like most amazing foods, it’s high in fat, but a little does go a long way. It’s great, by the way, on baked potatoes!
This looks delicious and right up my alley!
Dude, hell yes.
wow, this is impressive! i don’t know if i’m that talented yet to taste something and then create a recipe from what i taste or a copycat of it..great job 🙂 keep on bitchin’ 😉
Bitchin’. Seriously bitchin’.
Yay!!! I love all sorts of savory creamy sauces. I’m all over this one.
Mmmm this sounds delish!
I do find the idea of nutritional yeast a little bit scary but I think I need to overcome that fear because your description of the sauce is so delightful!
Hated the title but loved the post! or the other way round?! wtever! 🙂
Whoot! The Chipotle flavor sounds like Bitchin’ X 3 and totally in my court. So is this a little like a thinned out hummus, in texture, sort of, not really or no way? Ah hell, I’m just going to have to pull up my non-vegan bootstraps and try it myself. XO
Ahhh this was the cutest post! I like your very literal definition of Bitchin’ Sauce haha. And, I’m from Indiana and am currently thanking God you’ve included this recipe as, a couple thousand miles away, my odds for trying the San Diego original sauce seem slim. Great post!
I don’t make it to San Diego often at all, so I love to have recipes for things that I can’t get otherwise!!
I love the title. Why can more recipes have this title? It looks like it tastes great, I will have to try this.
I’m glad you like it! I was afraid of the opposite reaction.
Ha! A funny AND yummy recipe! I am going to try it and have made a promise to myself not to be intimated by the nutritional yeast or the Bragg liquid aminos. I can do this!
Same here! I totally turned up my nose to them at first. This was my first time using those ingredients and I loved them. What’s happening to me 😉
I will let you know how it turns out and how many thumbs up it gets from my husband (he’s pretty easy AND he’s on a health food kick, so I’m pretty sure he’ll be in heaven.)
How is it possible that I lived {and went to college} in San Diego and have never heard of Bitchin Sauce?! I must try.
I’m from San Diego and I get the Bitchin’ Sauce regularly! My husband and I are in LOVE with it. We use it for everything, dipping, as a condiment on hamburgers and sandwiches… It’s just so good & it goes with everything! My favorite flavor is the Chiptole. Although I’ll still scarf down the Original. Now that you created a duplicate, I can make it at home without even going to the Farmers Market. Yah!
I, too, live in San Diego and frequent the Farmer’s market….guess what I found last
Sunday!!….”Heat Bitchin’ Sauce.”….and it is
f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s…..if you love it Hot, Hot, Hot!
The habanero chilies really spice it up a notch! You have got to try this!
Heat is good! I have some in my fridge right now. But have you tried Bombay? Its a curry flavor and maybe my new favorite
I used to buy it at the farmers market, too, until I discovered that Baron’s sells it for half the market price.
Bonus to everyone- there are more flavors now. The cilantro flavor rocks.
process is totally legit. I do it all the time lol. It must be good if you are still eating it after all that. *run to kitchen*
Mmm, I will take some Bitchin’ Sauce, vegan or not, any day. It sounds divine… and it is making me wonder why all my parents brought back from visiting my aunt and uncle in San Diego AND going to the farmer’s market was photos!!