Ingredients

This $3 Pantry Ingredient Is the Star of My Favorite Weeknight Dinners

Eye-catching Omsom sauces deliver high-reward flavor to low-effort meals.
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Published Apr. 17, 2023.

Any well-designed, brightly-colored food product is bound to catch my eye, and Omsom sauces are no exception. 

Founded by sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham, Omsom sells convenient packets of premade sauces to help you cook restaurant-quality meals faster.

The striking packaging advertises “Real Asian flavors that take you home. Proudly and loudly,” and the sauces come in seven varieties inspired by dishes from Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam. 

These versatile sauces can be used any way you like, or you can check recipe cards in the box or their website for inspiration. Omsom debuted in 2020, and you can now find the sauces on Amazon and at nationwide stores such as Whole Foods and Target

Here are my favorite ways to use Omsom sauces to whip up a flavor-packed meal or snack, fast.

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Yuzu Miso Salmon

Salmon, broccoli, and rice is a favorite weeknight dinner in my household, and it’s always paired with a bold sauce I pull together with ingredients from my pantry. This meal is quick to make, but the most tedious part is making the sauce. With Omsom, I eliminated this step entirely.

The Omsom sauce I used: Japanese Yuzu Miso Glaze

How I made it: I baked the salmon filets for 8 minutes as Omsom recommends; painted on the glaze; broiled them for a few more minutes; and had perfectly silky, incredibly flavorful salmon.

Bulgogi Roasted Brussels Sprouts

One thing I love about Omsom’s products is that they encourage you to try them in vegetarian applications, in addition to proteins. I love the Cook’s Illustrated recipe for Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Gochujang and Sesame Seeds, so I was inspired by that flavor profile. 

The Omsom sauce I used: Korean Spicy Bulgogi Sauce

How I made it: Before roasting, I tossed halved Brussels sprouts in the sauce. The resulting dish was sweet and spicy, with a bit of extra browning thanks to the sugars in the sauce.

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Sichuan Mixed Nuts

Inspired by the recent Cook’s Country recipe for Sichuan Snack Peanuts, I was in the mood for a spicy snack that I could whip easily with little to no prep.

The Omsom sauce I used: Chinese Spicy Mala Sauce

How I made it: First, I toasted some mixed nuts in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, I took them out of the oven, tossed them with the mala sauce, and put them back in the oven for 10 more minutes. 

The spiced nuts had the perfect level of heat with a little secondary sweetness. The sugar in the sauce provides great flavor, but be sure to keep the oven temperature low and keep an eye on the nuts as they’re roasting to prevent burning.

Creamy Fish Sauce Dip and Crudités

Fish sauce is one of my favorite ingredients, so anytime I see it on an ingredient list, I’m sold. The Omsom Thai larb sauce contains lots of it, along with lime, sugar, and chiles. It’s tart and spicy, and the dip I whipped up was just a bit creamy and slightly puckering, with a lingering heat.

The Omsom sauce I used: Thai Larb Sauce

How I made it: I mixed the sauce into a few dollops of mayo to make a supereasy dip for crudités. Pro tip: Try this mixture as a salad dressing too. 

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