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8 ways to use applesauce (besides as a dip with fries or a traditional Dutch meal)

Appelmoes eten

People often guess that I’m about 10 years younger than I am. But when I ask for a tub of applesauce with my order at the chip shop, they look at me as if I’ve just come from primary school. Why, though? Applesauce rocks! And you can use it in so many more ways than just with fries or a traditional Dutch meal. Today I’m paying tribute to applesauce and giving you 8 fantastic applesauce ideas. 

Foto van culinair journalist Jeske van Steen

This proves that applesauce is actually incredibly sexy. Ha, who was talking about toddler food?!

1. Use it as an egg substitute in your baking

This is old news for vegans, but did you know that you can use applesauce perfectly well as a substitute for eggs in baked goods? It works well as a binder and also adds a lovely sweetness to your bake. Do bear in mind that if your bake still needs to rise properly, you’ll need a little extra baking powder and/or baking soda. Applesauce doesn’t have that power.

2. Stir applesauce into your oatmeal

Oatmeal has a bit of a reputation for being dull. Boring, even. But hold on, you can make something incredibly exciting with it. A few spoonfuls of applesauce give that grey mush of yours a real wow factor. Glitter and glamour. A touch of magic. Call it what you like; in any case, I bet from now on you’ll eat nothing but exciting applesauce oatmeal.

3. Add it to your homemade BBQ sauce

Delicious sauces are the life of the barbecue party. Planning to make your own BBQ sauce? Season it with a few spoonfuls of applesauce. The sweetness of the applesauce is a lovely counterpoint to the smokiness of the barbecue spices. It can also temper the strong taste of vinegar, which may be a bit intense for some people. BBQ sauce with applesauce is a match made in heaven with pork, especially chops. Fire up that barbecue – yes, it works perfectly well in winter too.

4. Marinate your chicken in it

Chicken with applesauce is irresistible, so chicken marinated in applesauce can only be just as successful. The enzymes in applesauce make your chicken wonderfully tender. The apple juice in the applesauce adds flavour to the chicken. How do you make an applesauce marinade for your chicken? Simple: whisk some applesauce together with apple cider vinegar. The latter gives the marinade a lovely tang. Add your favourite fresh herbs – thyme is excellent – and you’ve got a delicious dish. Tip: a splash of whisky gives your marinade a smoky touch.

5. Mix it into puréed soups

A generous portion of applesauce takes your soup from delicious to souper- er, super-delicious. In sweet potato and pumpkin soups, it brings out the sweetness beautifully. Applesauce is especially good in celeriac soup. The root vegetable, which is quite earthy and pungent on its own, is brought back into balance by the applesauce.

6. Turn it into an apple pie smoothie

A glass of liquid apple pie that’s healthy too. You almost wonder what you did to deserve it. In this case, you can use applesauce perfectly well instead of fresh apples. Less work! How exactly do you make this dream smoothie? Put applesauce, oats, milk, yoghurt, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup in the blender. You’re welcome.

7. Dip your vegetables in it before roasting them

Carrots, turnips, beetroot and parsnips are fantastic vegetables to roast. Before roasting them, drizzle them with oil, salt and pepper. Why not add some applesauce too? It makes the vegetables caramelise in the oven, giving them a gentle sweetness and a lovely crunch .

8. Use it as a topping for your pancakes

Last but not least: applesauce is a fantastic topping for pancakes or waffles. The slight tang in applesauce adds something extra to sweet bakes. And just think of that texture! Sprinkle over some cinnamon and you’ve got the meal you dreamed of as a child. It’s still delicious, even if you’ve been out of primary school for 25 years.

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Source: Tasting Table

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