Jim Markus / Last Modified On November 19, 2024

What condiments are gluten free? It's a question I hear all the time, and for good reason. Store-bought condiments contain all sorts of ingredients. And even the ones that are gluten-free aren't always labeled as such. So I decided to make a list of my gluten-free condiments I could go back and reference anytime I needed to.

Hot dogs on buns with condiments condiments. Photo by Gluten-Free Palate.

Whenever possible, I'll include a way to make the condiments from scratch. That way we can ensure all the ingredients are gluten-free.

Table of Contents

The Most Popular Gluten-Free Condiments

Let's start with the most commonly-found condiments. That includes anything you'd put on food at a backyard barbecue, beach picnic, or family dinner. Note that this also includes a few gluten-free salad dressings (the kind people use for dips). After that, I'll cover some popular condiments found at popular fast food restaurants.

Ketchup, Mustard, and Mayo

Ketchup: Most ketchup is gluten-free. Varieties containing malt or other flavors may contain gluten. It's worth double checking, but there are usually several popular brands that are certified gluten-free.

Mustard: Plain mustard is usually gluten-free. Any additives make a difference though, so it's worth looking for a label. Many major brands have gluten-free varieties. You should be able to find it anywhere.

Gluten-free hot dog buns on a plate. Topped with ketchup and mustard. Photo by Gluten-Free Palate.

Mayonnaise: Most mayo is gluten free. Store varieties and flavored toppings can include other ingredients that contain gluten. Check the label if you're not sure with this condiment. Like ketchup and mustard, you can find this anywhere.

Ranch Dressing: Ranch is typically gluten-free, but not always. And yes, ranch is a dressing. However it's also a condiment where I come from. If you've ever visited the midwest you'll understand that ranch goes with, and on, everything. You'll find gluten-free options in just about any grocery store.

Blue Cheese Dressing: There are many gluten-free blue cheese dressings. Many of these are marked with a label that identifies them. This includes major national brands like Hellman's and Kraft.

Salsa, Guac, and Hot Sauce

Guacamole: Simple, homemade guacamole is gluten-free. It's made with avocados, lime, onions, cilantro, and spices. If you buy it from a store, check the label for additives.

Salsa: There are so many ways to make good salsa, and most of them only use gluten-free ingredients.

Hot Sauce: Hot sauce, when made with pure distilled vinegar, is usually gluten free. There are many, many brands of hot sauce with varying levels of spice. If you check the ingredients, look for wheat, barley, rye, or anything that derives from those. It's not hard to find gluten-free hot sauce.

Sauerkraut, Tapenade, and Relish

Sauerkraut: Most sauerkraut is gluten free. It's just fermented cabbage and salt, and that's absolutely delicious. That said, some manufacturers work in other ingredients like vinegar, so read the label first.

Tapenade: Most tapenade is gluten free. Like sauerkraut, tapenade is best when made only with simple ingredients. If made with olives, olive oil, and spices, it's gluten free. If someone adds other ingredients like vinegar, it may not pass muster.

Relish: Most pickle relish is gluten free. While vinegar is often used for relish, most popular brands use gluten-free vinegar. When in doubt, check the label for a gluten-free certification.

Worcestershire, Barbecue, and Vinegar

Worcestershire Sauce: Not all Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free, but you can find gluten-free varieties. Shop for a certified label or follow my lead and make your own version from scratch. Here's my recipe for gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.

Gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce in a glass jar. Photo by Gluten-Free Palate.

Barbecue Sauce: This condiment can contain gluten, so it's worth checking the label before making a purchase. That said, many popular varieties are already gluten-free. As with many of these, you can make your own version that will usually outshine anything on the store shelves. Here's a stellar recipe for gluten-free barbecue sauce.

Vinegar: Vinegar, when it's pure and distilled, is gluten free. Our friends at Beyond Celiac confirmed that. But remember that malt vinegar isn't free of gluten. It's best to read the ingredient list for any flavored or specialty vinegar just in case.

Honey: Honey is gluten-free.

Syrup: Pure maple syrup is gluten-free.

Fast-Food Condiments

I won't list all the condiments at every popular fast food restaurant here (that's can be another article), but I wanted to call out two favorites. Both come from Taco Bell. In fact, there's already a helpful guide to gluten-free food at Taco Bell. Here's the condiment highlight: Both mild sauce and hot sauce packets are gluten free.

The same can't be said for the barbecue sauce at McDonald's. I know, I'm sad too. While McDonalds' ketchup and mustard are gluten-free, the barbecue sauce isn't. Check out this guide for more gluten-free food at McDonald's.

Other Condiments

Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (Tamari): Soy sauce is not gluten-free, but that doesn't mean there isn't a similar alternative. I recommend tamari sauce. It has a slightly stronger umami flavor profile than regular soy sauce. But it's very, very similar otherwise.

Gluten-free teriyaki sauce with capsicum. Photo by Gluten-Free Palate.

Compote: My gluten-free compote recipe relies on fruit reductions. It doesn't contain wheat when made from scratch. If you plan to buy compote, use the same discretion you might when shopping for jam or jelly.

Enchilada Sauce: This is more of a sauce than a condiment, but people ask about it frequently, so I wanted to include it here. Not all enchilada sauce is gluten free. So check the label for certification or make it from scratch. Here's a great recipe for gluten-free enchilada sauce.

Sriracha Sauce: Made from peppers, this condiment is usually gluten-free.

Tahini: Made from sesame seeds, is also usually gluten-free.

Recommended Gluten-Free Condiment Recipe

I'm including my recipe for gluten-free teriyaki sauce. This is such a versatile condiment because it's used as a sauce and for dipping. More adventurous home chefs might also try it as a drizzle condiment on breakfast bites or in place of honey when dipping chicken tenders. There's a rich, sweet flavor and it's so good on so many proteins.

The recipe is important because so much teriyaki sauce contains soy sauce, which isn't usually gluten free. Mine uses tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, instead. If you make it, please come back and let me know how you use it. I love this recipe!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce

You need to make this delicious and versatile gluten-free teriyaki sauce for all your Asian inspired meals. It's so good and with its bold taste it can be added to just about anything.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup fresh pineapple
1 cup tamari also known as gluten-free soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ tsp. black pepper
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Instructions

In a strong blender, add the pineapple, tamari, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
Strain the blended mixture into a saucepan and heat over low heat.
Add ginger, garlic, black pepper, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Boil for 5 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, mix cornstarch with water. Add it to the saucepan.
Cook the teriyaki sauce until thickened
Serve with fresh vegetables or added to chicken.