Sauce vs. Syrup — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
Sauce is a thick liquid served with food to add moisture and flavor; syrup is a thick, sweet liquid used as a sweetener.
Difference Between Sauce and Syrup
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Sauces are primarily culinary liquids used to add flavor and moisture to other foods, often possessing a complex blend of savory, tangy, sweet, or spicy elements. They can be served warm or cold and can be an integral part of a dish or added as a condiment.
Syrup is a dense, sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar in water or by reducing naturally sweet juices. It is commonly used as a sweetener in beverages, on pancakes, and in desserts. Syrups typically have a simple sweet taste profile and are not used to add moisture or flavor complexity in the same way sauces are.
The variety in sauces is immense, encompassing everything from simple gravies to elaborate reductions, and they can be based on a wide range of ingredients including vegetables, fruits, and meats. Their role can vary from being the centerpiece of a dish (like in pasta) to an accentuating side (like ketchup).
Syrups, by contrast, are usually straightforward and are primarily used to impart sweetness. While they can sometimes offer flavor nuances—like maple syrup or fruit-flavored syrups—their sweetness is their defining characteristic.
Therefore, while both sauce and syrup serve as accompaniments, the former is characterized by its culinary complexity and role in enhancing flavor and texture, whereas the latter is noted for its sugary sweetness and its role as a sweetener.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Liquid or semi-liquid used to add flavor.
Thick, sweet liquid used as a sweetener.
Usage
Culinary, to complement dishes.
Often as a dessert topping or in drinks.
Flavor Profile
Can be savory, spicy, tangy, or mildly sweet.
Predominantly sweet.
Texture
Varies from thin to thick.
Generally thicker and stickier than sauces.
Base Ingredients
Vegetables, meats, herbs, spices.
Sugar, water, sometimes natural flavorings.
Compare with Definitions
Sauce
Flavor enhancer
She topped the steak with a peppercorn sauce.
Syrup
Sweetener
He flavored his coffee with vanilla syrup.
Sauce
Condiment
He always adds hot sauce to his tacos.
Syrup
Medicine form
The cough medicine came in syrup form.
Sauce
Culinary binder
The sauce helped combine the ingredients in the casserole.
Syrup
Dessert drizzle
The dessert was finished with a chocolate syrup drizzle.
Sauce
Moisture provider
She served the roast with a side of sauce to add moisture.
Syrup
Pancake topping
Maple syrup is a classic pancake topping.
Sauce
Gravy
For Thanksgiving, we make a rich turkey sauce from the drippings.
Syrup
Beverage mix-in
She ordered an iced tea with peach syrup.
Sauce
In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi-solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish.
Syrup
In cooking, a syrup or sirup (from Arabic: شراب; sharāb, beverage, wine and Latin: sirupus) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. Its consistency is similar to that of molasses.
Sauce
A flavorful liquid or semisolid condiment or mixture of ingredients served as a topping or other accompaniment to food.
Syrup
A thick, sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar in boiling water, often used for preserving fruit.
Sauce
Stewed fruit, usually served with other foods.
Syrup
A wig
He has been bald for the past twenty years, his shame concealed by a syrup of some opulence
Sauce
Something that adds zest, flavor, or piquancy.
Syrup
A thick, sweet, sticky liquid, consisting of a sugar base, natural or artificial flavorings, and water.
Sauce
(Informal) Impudent speech or behavior; impertinence or sauciness.
Syrup
A thick, sugary liquid made by boiling down or otherwise concentrating plant sap, juice, or grain extracts.
Sauce
(Slang) Alcoholic liquor.
Syrup
A concentrated solution of sugar in water, often used as a vehicle for medicine.
Sauce
To season or flavor with sauce.
Syrup
Any thick liquid that has a high sugar content and which is added to or poured over food as a flavouring.
Maple syrup
Pancake syrup
Peaches in syrup
Sauce
To add piquancy or zest to.
Syrup
(by extension) Any viscous liquid.
Cough syrup
Sauce
(Informal) To be impertinent or impudent to.
Syrup
A wig.
Sauce
A liquid (often thickened) condiment or accompaniment to food.
Apple sauce; mint sauce
Syrup
(transitive) To convert or process into syrup.
Sauce
Tomato sauce (similar to US tomato ketchup), as in:
[meat] pie and [tomato] sauce
Syrup
(transitive) To add syrup to.
Sauce
Alcohol, booze.
Maybe you should lay off the sauce.
Syrup
(transitive) To sabotage (a vehicle) by pouring syrup into the gas tank.
Sauce
(bodybuilding) Anabolic steroids.
Syrup
Same as Sirup, Sirupy.
Sauce
(art) A soft crayon for use in stump drawing or in shading with the stump.
Syrup
A thick sweet sticky liquid
Sauce
(dated) Cheek; impertinence; backtalk; sass.
Sauce
Vegetables.
Sauce
Any garden vegetables eaten with meat.
Sauce
To add sauce to; to season.
Sauce
To cause to relish anything, as if with a sauce; to tickle or gratify, as the palate; to please; to stimulate.
Sauce
To make poignant; to give zest, flavour or interest to; to set off; to vary and render attractive.
Sauce
(colloquial) To treat with bitter, pert, or tart language; to be impudent or saucy to.
Sauce
(slang) To send or hand over.
Sauce
A composition of condiments and appetizing ingredients eaten with food as a relish; especially, a dressing for meat or fish or for puddings; as, mint sauce; sweet sauce, etc.
High sauces and rich spices fetched from the Indies.
Sauce
Any garden vegetables eaten with meat.
Roots, herbs, vine fruits, and salad flowers . . . they dish up various ways, and find them very delicious sauce to their meats, both roasted and boiled, fresh and salt.
Sauce
Stewed or preserved fruit eaten with other food as a relish; as, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, etc.
Sauce
Sauciness; impertinence.
Sauce
A soft crayon for use in stump drawing or in shading with the stump.
Sauce
To accompany with something intended to give a higher relish; to supply with appetizing condiments; to season; to flavor.
Sauce
To cause to relish anything, as if with a sauce; to tickle or gratify, as the palate; to please; to stimulate; hence, to cover, mingle, or dress, as if with sauce; to make an application to.
Earth, yield me roots;Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palateWith thy most operant poison!
Sauce
To make poignant; to give zest, flavor or interest to; to set off; to vary and render attractive.
Then fell she to sauce her desires with threatenings.
Thou sayest his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings.
Sauce
To treat with bitter, pert, or tart language; to be impudent or saucy to.
I'll sauce her with bitter words.
Sauce
Flavorful relish or dressing or topping served as an accompaniment to food
Sauce
Behave saucy or impudently towards
Sauce
Dress (food) with a relish
Sauce
Add zest or flavor to, make more interesting;
Sauce the roast
Common Curiosities
Do all sauces contain spices?
Not all; sauces can vary widely in ingredients and flavor profiles.
Can sauces be sweet?
Yes, some sauces are sweet, but they can also be savory or spicy.
Is syrup always sweet?
Yes, syrups are defined by their sweetness.
What is the base of most syrups?
The base is typically sugar dissolved in water.
Can sauce be a dip?
Yes, sauces can be used as dips, like barbecue sauce.
Is honey a syrup?
Honey is similar to syrup but it's a natural substance produced by bees, not made by dissolving sugar in water.
Are syrups used in savory dishes?
Typically, no. Syrups are usually used for sweet dishes or as sweeteners.
Is tomato sauce a type of sauce?
Yes, tomato sauce is a common type of savory sauce.
What defines a sauce?
A sauce is a liquid or semi-liquid used to add flavor and moisture to food.
Is mayonnaise considered a sauce?
Yes, mayonnaise is a type of emulsified sauce.
Are all sauces cooked?
No, some sauces, like salsa fresca, are served uncooked.
Can a sauce be a main dish?
Rarely; sauces typically accompany or enhance the main dish.
Can you make syrup from fruits?
Yes, fruit syrups are made by reducing fruit juices with sugar.
Are syrups only used for pancakes and waffles?
No, syrups can also be used in beverages, cocktails, and for dessert toppings.
Can syrup be used in cooking?
Yes, syrup can be used in cooking, especially in baking and dessert-making.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
