Whole30 Condiments From Spicy & Sweet to Umamified Bliss

by Si-Ya Ray
whole30 condiments

Whole30 condiments easily add blissloads of flavor to meals with minimal effort. From ketchup to vinegar to sriracha there are a delicious amount of Whole30 approved condiments ranging from spicy to sweet to umamified. You can dip veggies into condiments, slather them onto hot dogs (ketchup) and scoop them up like BBQ sauce.

What is a Condiment?

Honestly, I thought I knew what a condiment was before starting this journey of condiment times. Ketchup, mustard, relish, done. Basically hot dog life is the only condiment life. Oh no no no no no the Internet said, and then the debate went on and on. Matt Hyland believes a condiment is about consistency, “a condiment needs to be thinner than guacamole but no thicker than ranch (which I think is the perfect condiment consistency). If it’s too thick, it becomes a dip.” Julya Shin believes, “a condiment is a sauce or seasoning that is applied by the consumer (not the cook) to customize the flavor of a dish”, and that it ranges per culture. Check out the article for the full range of ideas on condiments.

The main consensus I could find on a condiment is that a condiment is applied after the meal is cooked. Some believe the condiment should not be necessary to the dish and be an add-on while others view some finishing sauces as condiments. For the sake of this article, we will stick to the “a condiment is applied after the meal is cooked” aspect and move on.

whole30 condiments bottles

What makes Whole30 Condiments Whole30?

Whole30 approved condiments are ones that have the Whole30 stamp on them and have been approved by the foundation started by Melissa. Whole30 compliant condiments are ones that fit every aspect of Whole30 and just don’t have the certification.

Whole30 condiments are free of any sweetener, artificial flavors, cornstarch, or gluten. Some additives are allowed such as natural flavors and fruit juice. For a full list of Whole30 approved additives click here.

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Must Have Whole30 Condiments

Before checking out our list think about the condiments you love to use daily. Are you always adding ketchup or mustard to hot dogs? Sugar-free sausage and hot dogs are Whole30 approved and you can just wrap them in lettuce wraps or eat them solo for a great meal. Do you enjoy soy sauce in marinades or dipping sauces? Are you a fan of hot sauce and pepper-based spice? Make some mental notes or even a list of your must-have flavor enhancers.

Swap Soy Sauce for Coconut Aminos

Whole30 condiment swap soy sauce bottle for coconut aminos bottle

If you’re adding soy sauce to your bowls of veggies, your marinades and your special sauce like Aun does then there is a super easy swap for you. Coconut aminos are made from the nectar of coconut blossoms and are just as delicious as they sound. The aminos are slightly sweet and they have a similar umami flavor to soy sauce. We use coconut aminos in many marinades, sauces, and meals and you will find many Whole 30 recipes use coconut aminos. Even off Whole30, I avoid soy now so these are always in our home and I find it delicious every time

We use coconut aminos in BBQ sauce for our Whole 30 BBQ chicken in the air fryer or in the oven.

whole 30 air fryer bbq chicken

Big Tree Coconut Aminos: I find most coconut aminos taste the same so choose your favorite. While soy sauce is a little more salty coconut aminos are a little sweet. Adjust recipes accordingly by adding a little more salt if using aminos. Try the dish first to see if there’s already enough salt coming through as umami can naturally enhance salty flavors.

Sweetener-Free Ketchup

What to look for in Whole30 ketchup. Ketchup often has sweetener and usually it’s sugar. With ketchup look for a paleo or Whole30 brand. I haven’t found a ketchup (even organic) that didn’t have sweetener without it being made obvious on the label.

whole30 ketchup bottles

Ketchup is just incredible and through Whole30 I’ve learned just how often we use it. Ketchup is also used in BBQ sauce, like with our air fryer BBQ chicken or oven-baked BBQ chicken. Slather it onto lettuce leaves and wrap them around a hot dog. Ketchup can be used at a 1:1 ratio with mayo, some garlic powder, and onion powder to create a secret sauce. You can also splash in coconut aminos or fish sauce if your umami love is off the charts. Well the American charts, your chart could easily dance with Japan.

Check out how we use ketchup in our oven baked BBQ Chicken thighs.

whole30 bbq chicken thighs cut open
Whole30 BBQ Chicken Thighs – Blissfull Eating

Use the secret sauce as a dipping sauce for veggies and meat to make every meal delicious. With Whole 30 you want to add at least 2 tablespoons of fat to every meal and this is the easiest way to do it. Usually, I just use mayonnaise by itself but when I want more I’ll make it special.

Best Whole30 Ketchup Brands:

Primal Kitchen Ketchup: Has a nice bright flavor and is super delicious. We use this in BBQ kitchen and for special sauce and sweet potato fry dipping. This is the main Whole 30 ketchup we use because it pears so well with everything. Primal Kitchen has all paleo products and most are Whole30 approved so check out their full line of Whole30 condiments, salad dressings, vinegar, and oils.

Thrive Market Sweetener Free Ketchup: Another delicious option. This ketchup has grape must added to it so the flavor is more savory and like sun-dried tomatoes rather than fresh ones. Thrive also has many Whole30 products from salad dressings to coffee to dish soap. We’ve been using them for three years now and they constantly offer discounts and free gifts. Use the link above to sign up and get a free gift valued at $24.

thrive market free gift

For a homemade option, you can also make my slow cooker pumpkin spice ketchup for a delicious twist (most ketchup uses the spices found in pumpkin spice which is why I created the recipe for awareness 😉 ).

Fish Sauce

red boat fish sauce - whole30 condiment bottle

You know when you go to a restaurant and everything tastes phenomenal in a way you can’t recreate at home? That’s probably because you aren’t using the secret restaurant sauce. Fish sauce. Fish sauce is fermented fish, usually anchovies. Although this might sound gross if you don’t know you’ve had it all your life, this is a very common ingredient in sauces. I’m to the point that fermented fish sounds amazing, and so does the fermentation of most things.

Red Boat Fish Sauce: is the oldest known maker of fish sauce and they stick to the old ways. According to their website: “Cuong partnered with expert fishermen and continued a centuries-old fermentation tradition. Today, the Red Boat brand is stronger than ever. In an era where transparency, traceability, and sustainability reign supreme, Red Boat is just as committed to quality ingredients and its time-honored fermentation tradition as the day it was founded. That means no additives, no preservatives, and no flavor enhancers. Just the purest fish sauce on earth.” You can really taste the beauty of this sauce.

Fish sauce is used in most restaurants for marinades, salad dressings and even as an extra splash to meat dishes. Once you start using this ingredient you’ll find it sneaking into so many recipes. BBQ sauces and ramen are great ways to use it.

Protip: Fish sauce is very, very strong, and is something you want to start slowly and minimally with. A teaspoon or less is all you usually need for a recipe. If you want more go about a 1/2 teaspoon at a time and then taste. You can always add more but you can’t go back once you’ve added too much. If you do double the recipe in another bowl and stir in the extra sauced one.

Sweetener Free Whole30 Mustard

Whole30 mustard brands

I’m one of those mustard fanatics that swirls mustard into macaroni and licks it from my fingers. I will always love mustard and will use it to dip fries in when I need an extra kick of epic flavor.

When it comes to mustard look for that no sugar goodness. Wine vinegar is commonly used in mustard but when it comes to Whole30 condiments, and in general, wine vinegar is Whole30 approved.

For Whole30 mustard can be used as a sweet potato fry dip or to dip chicken or hot dogs into. We mostly use mustard in lettuce-wrapped sandwiches which we have about four of a week. They’re super quick to make, as quick as a regular sandwich.

easy lettuce wrapped sandwich

Organicville Sone ground Dijon Mustard: I love using this mustard in making mayo as well as just on sandwiches. The only ingredients are water, organic vinegar, organic mustard seeds, salt, and organic spices.

French’s Mustard: French’s is a classic choice, it’s a beautiful price, and it has no sugar or alcohol in it.

Vinegar

Whole30 condiments - vinegar bottles

Vinegar isn’t something that needs to change in your life at all. Nearly all vinegar, even rice, and wine vinegar are Whole30 approved. Malt vinegar is the exception since it comes from barley. Wine vinegar is compliant since it changes chemical composition. or any additives like “caramel color” or sulfites when shopping for vinegar—many types of vinegar contain these added ingredients and neither are Whole30 compliant.

Lemons and Limes: I’m more of a fresh acid kinda gal (/androgynous being). When making mayo or salads I’ll squeeze in lemon juice and I’ll add it to my water in the mornings. I use more acid in limes and lemons during and off Whole30 than I do any other vinegar choice.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Acv is delicious in stews, dressings, and even as a daily gut shot. Braggs if organic and unfiltered and the flavor is tangy and sharp in all the right ways. I also

Balsamic Vinegar: If you’re missing wine just pour balsamic vinegar onto your veggies or add it to a salad dressing. The flavor of balsamic is deeply rich with a hint of sweetness. I love to toss it with broccoli and air fry it. We got ours in bulk at Costco. If you don’t have a membership or don’t feel like going it’s available on Amazon in the link.

Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a staple in Asian cooking and is used in many Whole30 recipes.

Whole30 Mayo

Mayo is something I started eating daily with Whole30 and now I pretty much have mayo with every meal. Not the hot dog stand mayo that’s been sitting in a jar for eight years with bits of grease inside of it, but fresh mayo bursting with lemon juice and eggs. The mayonnaise I love the most I make myself and it is like being transported to Europe where everything is made by hand and with so much love. Mayo is my favorite in the list of Whole30 condiments.

What to look out for in mayo is any added sugar and the oils. Avoid canola oil and seeds oils that are not high-oleic. Olive oil, avocado oil, high-oleic sunflower and high-oleic safflower oil are all Whole30 compliant.

Mayo is something we use on lettuce-wrapped sandwiches and dip our meat and any veggies into. Mayo can be used to make secret sauces and add a creaminess to any dish. You can add extra lemon juice or lemon zest to jazz up the flavor. You can even add 1/4 a teaspoon of lavender to a jar for floral bliss. Mayo is very versatile, very delicious, and easily adds fat to your meals.

Fat is what allows you to feel full and is a more sustainable energy than sugar. I could link a study but think about it for yourself. How hungry are you after eating candy and how hungry are you after eating a steak? You can also go more natural and think of fruit then steak. 

whole 30 mayo recipe with steps

Check out our post on how to make your own mayo.

Making your own mayo is the most delicious way to go. You get the flavor of fresh lemon and because you choose the oil you can go neutral or use a heavier tasting oil. Having homemade mayo that uses fresh eggs and lemon juice and oil is such a treat you’ll realize why the French are snobs about it.

Whole 30 Store Bought Mayo

tessemae's classic mayo whole30 approved

If you’re not wanting to make your own mayo then a few store-bought ones we love are the Primal Kitchen chipotle lime mayo, Tesseman’s habanero mayo, and Tesseman’s regular mayo. Many of these mayos are soooo delicious that they do come close to making your own, especially the Teseemae’s. Avocado oil can be overwhelming when you are getting used to it so I recommend trying a mayo with an alternate oil first.

Check out the first time we tasted these store-bought Whole30 mayo brands, and how we rank them in this video:

Check out the full Whole 30 store-bought mayo tasting article here.

Tessemae’s Classic Mayo: Out of all the Whole30 mayo we tried Tessemae’s was the most delicious. They use high oleic sunflower oil so you get a more neutral flavor and the acidity is deliciously balanced. This is the closest tasting to homemade mayo I’ve tried when it comes levels of deliciousness. They use all organic ingredients. This is a Whole30 approved mayo.

Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo: Primal Kitchen is a paleo brand and they use avocado oil in all of the things. The chipotle lime mayo is epic as a dipping sauce. There’s a kick of spice that makes me go oooh la la. If you want to dilute the spice just mix in some regular mayo. They also use all organic ingredients. All Primal Kitchen mayos are Whole30 approved mayo.

The Extra Sauce Whole30 Condiments

These condiments are not vital to Whole30 but they did make your food sing. If you like a little spice with your everything nice then read forth.

Sriracha

Whole30 sriracha condiment bottles - Yellowbird brand

Do you remember when no one had heard of sriracha and then suddenly, one wild year, it appeared and now it’s on tables at restaurants like ketchup? It was the first condiment fad I ever saw and honestly, I think it’s gone viral and lifelong at this stage.

Normally sriracha has sugar added to it so to bring this Whole30 condiment into your life look for bottles with no added sugar.

Yellowbird Sriracha: Yellowbird Foods is based in Austin so instead of that main sriracha brand you see everywhere else, we put Yellowbird freaking everywhere. Ever since I moved to Austin Yellowbird has been in my life and it’s freaking epic. You really taste the peppers and the layers of flavor organic peppers can have that range from sweet to smoky. The other ingredients they add are all organic and the balance to the flavor is harmonious and delicious. I recommend all of their products and many are Whole30. Check out their hot sauce variety pack (including the sriracha) here. All are Whole30 compliant and use raisins, dates, or fruit juice for that added sweetness.

Wildbrine: Wildbrine is one of my favorite brands when it comes to probiotics. They make sauerkraut and their probiotic sriracha is so insanely delicious that I had a mouth bliss explosion the first time I tried it. The layers of flavor and the bright crunch of brine is incredible. Check out their website to find it at a store and seriously, all of their products are drool-worthy. They use salt to ferment and maintain natural probiotics so that’s where the wild comes in.

Whole30 Hot Sauce/ Whole30 Salsa

whole30 hot sauce and whole30 salsa brands

Here’s the thing about good salsa, it is naturally Whole30. Salsa is meat to be made fresh, even that day, and contains tomatoes, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. You can swap up the tomatoes, you can add cumin (we do 😉 ) and you can easily change up the peppers. Outside of swapping up whole ingredients for whole ingredients salsa is straightforward. It does not require added thickness, gums, or sugar and most brands and recipes also do not add much extra.

At the store just look for any added preservatives, artificial flavors, or added sweetener. Nine out of ten times your favorite brand of salsa is going to be automatically Whole30 salsa approved.

Salsa is one of those Whole 30 condiments that has several uses outside of just being a topping for a chip. You can have salsa on top of eggs, chicken, or any dish that’s savory. Salsa can also be used for taco salads or any form of taco bowls. We use salsa in our salsa verde tilapia recipe as well as our Whole30 bell pepper taco bowls and it is all mouthbliss.

whole30 salsa verde

Check out our Whole 30 salsa verde recipe. It is very easy to make and once you make salsa yours then you learn the power you have within to make epic food. The fresher the salsa the better so you’re also getting that full freshness of tomatoes. Making it yourself also means you choose how much spice, lime juice and salt goes in.

whole30 salsa with eggs -tenayo

Tenayo Salsa: This roasted tomato smoky bliss sauce is so fricking delicious I can have it on top of fried eggs, use it as a dipping sauce for chicken and even have it by the spoonfull. The flavor is so rich and filled with smoke that I feel I’m transported to a fire with tomatoes roasting over it. The ingredients are so simple and, as you can taste, carefully chosen. The ingredients are just tomatoes, water, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, roasted onions, natural flavors (which is Whole30 compliant), garlic and salt.

Above I mentioned Yellowbird and they do have a line of hot sauce, the kind that you squeeze from the bottle, and so does another Austin-based company that if you have been in the gluten-free movement at all you have heard of. Oh yeah, I’m talking about Siete.

Siete is one of those brands that I will forever love because they are incredible people. There was a time that I broke my toe and I was trying to sell insurance to have income. I reached out to them and they were like “Sorry, we have insurance, but what’s your address so we can send chips”. I sent my address and they didn’t send a bag of chips. They sent a four-foot box filled with about twenty bags of chips and seven bottles of hot sauce. *internal joy dance*. Siete is just bliss, and everyone in Austin and beyond loves them for a reason. Learn their story here. They are family owned and they were founded on a mission to bring Mexican food into the paleo world and bring health into the Latino world. Veronica, the founder, had many autoimmune diseases and had to get healthy and the family went on the journey together.

Ranch

whole 30 air fryer buffalo chicken wings with ranch

So is salad dressing a condiment? Some would say no because it can be an essential ingredient to a dish, while others would say yes because it is added after a dish is cooked or prepared.

On the other hand, ranch has passed beyond salad dressing. Ranch is a dip for pizza, or buffalo wings, or lemon pepper wings…really any wings. Ranch is used in the middle of a rainbow of veggies and is celery’s main companion. Even if the rest of salad dressing is not a true condiment ranch fits the criteria.

Whole30 Store Bought Ranch

Whole30 House Ranch: This is close to the creamiest Whole 30 ranch ever but is slightly runnier. The slightly runnier texture really works for salads while the thickest one works best for wings and dipping veggies into. The vinegar flavor is slightly stronger in this ranch but works well. Whole30 brand’s ranch is delicious and is the second-best dairy-free ranch we’ve tried. The texture is similar to store-bought ranch.

  • Best for salads and also great for wings

Tessemae’s Ranch Mayo: You know how ranch is meant to be so creamy that it’s thick enough to cling to lettuce leaves or wings? This is the only Whole30 ranch we’ve found that fits this creamy dream. The dill is strong in an epic way and there’s a hit of onion that’s delicious. To get Tessemae’s ranch mayo on Amazon click this link. They only carry the ranch mayo with the habanero mayo. We ranked the habanero mayo as tied for second in our mayo tasting post. Use the first link to get it from Thrive Market solo style. Tessemae’s has tons of epic Whole30 salad dressings and could be considered the Whole30 salad dressing brand with how many they have.

  • Best for wings and dipping veggies into
  • Great for salads
  • For an adventure spread it onto a lettuce-wrapped sandwich (it’s basically the same ingredients as a salad with ranch and now it’s portable)

Less Epic Whole30 Ranch Brands

While these dressings still work they did not impress us too much. I love both brands but, for now, they missed the mark, (I’m hoping they’ll see these and step up their Whole30 dressings game 😉 )

Tessemae’s Classic Ranch: This ranch is the opposite of creamy and is much more like the consistency of a vinaigrette. As a vinaigrette, it’s super delicious and heavy on the dill. I just wouldn’t call it mayo in a blind taste test.

Primal Kitchen Vegan Ranch: Yet again this ranch is not very creamy. Admittedly, this is their vegan ranch and that’s just hard to do. When we mix it with mayo it’s super delicious. If you’ve tried their classic ranch, non-vegan style, let us know in the comments if that one hits the flavor mark.

Best Whole30 Store Bought Ranch Recap:

As a quick recap, the best Whole30 store-bought ranch dressings are as follows.

  1. Tessemae’s mayo ranch is the creamiest and thickest ranch with a strong dill flavor and is close to thick store-bought ranch in texture. The flavor is wayyy better than any other ranch I’ve tried.
  2. Whole30 brand ranch dressing is delicious and dill flavored with the second creamiest texture and is closest to the texture of a thinner store-bought ranch.
  3. Tessemae’s ranch dressing (without the mayo) is slightly creamy but is more of an herb heavy dressing than a creamy one. The herbs are delicious, just don’t expect ranch creaminess when you get it.
  4. Tessemae’s avocado ranch is the same texture and taste as the classic ranch.

(Use either of my affiliate links above and get a $25 free gift when you signup for a subscription and I’ll get a few extra bucks for coffee 😉 )

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whole30 condiments

I hope you find bliss in any of these Whole30 condiments and lettuce know in the comments below what condiments you love and where you are in the debate of what a condiment even is.

Have a blissed one!

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