Ask Difference

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.
Sauce vs. Syrup — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Sauce and Syrup

ADVERTISEMENT

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.
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

Share Your Discovery

Share via Social Media
Embed This Content
Embed Code
Share Directly via Messenger
Link
Previous Comparison
Polo vs. Golf
Next Comparison
Pot vs. Schooner

Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba 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.

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Trending Terms