Spanish Phrase
Espesa las salsas de maravilla.
Meaning
A cooking instruction meaning ‘Make the sauces thick in a wonderful way.’ It tells the listener to thicken the sauces so they reach a perfect, velvety consistency.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving or receiving a cooking direction, especially in a recipe, cooking class, or while helping someone in the kitchen to achieve a richer texture.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Espesalassalsasdemaravilla.
Imperative (tú) of espesar
Espesa is the affirmative tú command of the verb espesar, meaning ‘to thicken’. It drops the -r and adds -a.
Definite article + plural noun
las salsas uses the feminine plural article ‘las’ with the noun ‘salsas’ (sauces).
de maravilla (idiom)
The phrase de maravilla is an idiomatic way to say ‘wonderfully’ or ‘perfectly’, often used after a verb.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo quieres que quede la salsa?
How do you want the sauce to turn out?
Espesa las salsas de maravilla.
Thicken the sauces wonderfully.
✕Common Mistakes
Espeso las salsas de maravilla.
Espeso is an adjective meaning ‘thick’; the command form is Espesa (from the verb espesar).
Espesa las salsas maravilla.
Learners sometimes omit the preposition and say ‘maravilla’ alone, which changes the meaning.
Espesa la salsas de maravilla.
If you refer to a single sauce, use ‘la salsa’ and adjust the verb accordingly.
↔Alternatives
Haz que las salsas queden más espesas.
Make the sauces thicker.
Consigue una consistencia espesa en las salsas.
Achieve a thick consistency in the sauces.
Logra salsas de textura espesa.
Achieve sauces with a thick texture.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish cooking, ‘espesar’ is a go‑to verb for thickening sauces, soups, and stews. Chefs often use a roux, reduction, or a slurry of cornstarch. The expression ‘de maravilla’ adds a friendly, informal flair, similar to saying ‘perfectly’ or ‘like a charm’ in English. It’s common in home‑cooking conversations but would sound too casual in a formal restaurant menu.