Burger Sauce

Burger sauce is the key to making the ultimate burger. Making it at home literally takes minutes and is creates absolutely the best sauce ever! You’re going to want to slather this tangy, slightly sweet sauce on every burger you make! Who doesn’t love a saucy burger?

Skip the standard mustard and ketchup to dress your burger! This is made with pantry ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. It’s so quick and easy to put together, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it all of your life. Not only is it a key component to making a super delish hamburger, but I also slather it on my Air fryer turkey burgers, french fries, and most sandwiches I make. Skip the standard.

There’s nothing I love more than having delicious homemade sauces on hand. They elevate all your recipes to the next level. Try a few more of my homemade favorites next: Awesome sauce, bang bang sauce, creole sauce, and my honey mustard dipping sauce. You’ll be dipping and slathering these babies on everything!

What Is Burger Sauce?

Burger sauce is often also referred to as “special sauce”. Virtually every restaurant and burger joint has its own version. Typically it’s a creamy sauce made from a base of ketchup and mayonnaise. The other ingredients that each recipe contains give each sauce recipe its own unique personality.

Is Burger Sauce Like Big Mac Sauce?

Yes, it is. McDonald’s, of course, has its own, closely guarded, secret recipe. Personally, I like this recipe tons more. I find McDonald’s sauce to be a little more blad and a bit more vinegary. It’s still killer “special sauce”.

Ingredient You’ll Need For The Best Burger Sauce:

• Mayonnaise: Use only full fat for the best flavor. I use Best Foods.
• Ketchup: I like a sweeter, less vinegary ketchup. I use Heinz. According to a TOH taste test, it’s the best to use.
• Sweet Pickle Relish: Adds a bit of tang and a bit of sweetness.
• Granulated Sugar: Don’t skip it. It’s one of the main ingredients that makes this taste like the best restaurant’s special sauces.
• White Vinegar: This provides a great balance to the sweetness of the ketchup and the sugar.
• Black Pepper: Adds a little heat and subtle layers of piney, citrus notes.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: We only use small amounts of these two ingredients, but, they add nice layers of flavor.

Tips + Tricks

• Double the recipe! This recipe makes about 8 ounces of sauce. In my house, that will generously dress 6 burgers. It never seems to be enough at our house. I generally double the recipe so the fam can not only use it as a spread on the burger but they can also have it on the side to dip fries in too.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Since this sauce has mayonnaise, it’ll last in the fridge for up to 3 months.
• Can You Freeze This? Mayonnaise is listed as one of the food that shouldn’t be frozen. Technically it can be, but the ingredients will separate and the texture won’t be the same as before.
• Make-Ahead Tips: Make a big batch, place it in a bottle or a jar and refrigerate it for a week.

Variations, Substitutes, + Additions

Make it Spicy: Spicy burger sauce is easy to make with this recipe. My favorite ways to do so is either add your favorite hot sauce (to taste) when you add the ketchup, or stir in chopped fresh or pickled jalapenos or add a few teaspoons of adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo.

Make It Like Smash Burger Sauce: Skip the ketchup and use French’s prepared mustard (maybe with a little Dijon mustard as well) instead of the ketchup. Then swap the sweet relish and add chopped dill pickles along with a couple of teaspoons of the pickle juice. Lastly, omit the sugar.

Serving Recommendations For The Best Burger Sauce Recipe:

I serve this special sauce for burgers on burgers, obviously!  Then I make a toppings bar so everyone can customize their burger: Sliced tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, and often slices of bacon. When we have burgers I like to serve my classic macaroni salad, Mexican corn salad, KFC coleslaw, or my make-ahead 7 layer salad!

Just Between Us Chickens:

If you want to tell friends and neighbors this is your family’s own secret burger sauce recipe, I’ll never tell them where you got the recipe! ♥

More Dips, Dressings, and Sauce Recipes You’ll Love

• Hummus
• Caesar Mayonnaise Dressing
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Beer Cheese Dip
• Hot Corn Dip
• Bang Bang Sauce
• Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce

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Burger Sauce

Make this best burger sauce in minutes! You're going to want to slather this tangy, slightly sweet sauce on every burger you make!

Prep Time6 minutes mins

Total Time6 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1/4 cup ketchup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons granulate sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon onion powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well incorporated.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Awesome Sauce
• 
  Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe-Thick, Rich and Luscious!
• 
  Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• 
  Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

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Notes

• Mayonnaise: Use only full fat for the best flavor. I use Best Foods.
• Ketchup: I like a sweeter, less vinegary ketchup. I use Heinz. According to a TOH taste test, it's the best to use.
• Granulated Sugar: Don't skip it. It's one of the main ingredients that makes this taste like the best restaurant's special sauces.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: We only use small amounts of these two ingredients, but, they add nice layers of flavor.
• Double the recipe! This recipe makes about 8 ounces of sauce. In my house, that will generously dress 6 burgers. It never seems to be enough at our house. I generally double the recipe so the fam can not only use it as a spread on the burger but they can also have it on the side to dip fries in too.
• Make it Spicy: Spicy burger sauce is easy to make with this recipe. My favorite ways to do so is either add your favorite hot sauce (to taste) when you add the ketchup, or stir in chopped fresh or pickled jalapenos or add a few teaspoons of adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo.
• Make It Like Smash Burger Sauce: Skip the ketchup and use French's prepared mustard (maybe with a little Dijon mustard as well) instead of the ketchup. Then swap the sweet relish and add chopped dill pickles along with a couple of teaspoons of the pickle juice. Lastly, omit the sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

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