The Best Burger Sauce is tangy and delicious while using simple ingredients, and this one certainly won’t disappoint! Put it on your hamburgers for the full restaurant experience.
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Where Did Sauce Come From?
While this sauce can be found in lots of places around the world, one claimed origin is Provo, Utah’s Arctic Circle restaurant in the 1950s.
Supposedly, the sauce was invented when two teenagers, Max Peay and Ron S. Taylor, mixed mayo and ketchup together for fun. The origins of the sauce are disputed, but it has nonetheless become a symbol of Utah’s culinary identity.
Why This Homemade Condiment Recipe is a Keeper
You’re going to love this burger sauce, which tastes just like the one at In-N-Out and other burger joints. This sweet and tangy special sauce is even better than store-bought and goes great with everything from chicken tenders to beef burger patties. Here are some reasons why we think this is the best recipe:
- 5 Minute Condiment: Just mix and let rest so the flavors can meld together.
- Easy Ingredients: There’s a chance you already can find all the ingredients you need sitting in your refrigerator and pantry.
- Adaptable: Make this burger sauce spicier or creamier to your own tastes.
If you’re looking for more sauce recipes, try these: Campfire Sauce, Bourbon Glaze, and Boom Boom Sauce.
How Long Will this Smash Burger Sauce Recipe Last?
This special sauce will last in the fridge up to a week in an airtight container.
Ingredient Notes for Hamburger Sauce
- Hellmann’s Mayonnaise: Try using whole egg mayonnaise for a smoother creamy burger sauce. Hellmans is our favorite brand. Use full fat mayo for the best richest flavor.
- Ketchup: You can use Heinz ketchup to make this recipe.
- American Mustard: A nice quality yellow mustard. Dijon mustard will work as well.
- Garlic: You can also use grated or teaspoon garlic powder.
- Pickle Juice: Use dill pickle, bread and butter pickle, or sweet pickle juice to add a tang to your burger sauce.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Special Dipping Sauce
- Different Mustards: Use spicy or sweet mustard; any variety works.
- Pickle Juice: Try a pickle relish in place of regular pickles.
How to Make Homemade Burger Sauce
This Big Mac sauce only takes minutes to make and is our favorite sauce for burger night. It’s a great dipping sauce that’ll up your burger game. If you’re having burgers tonight, you won’t want to miss this top secret sauce that’s creamy and rich.
These are the basic steps for making the best burger sauce. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions. We love reader Interactions, please leave a comment below.
Step 1: Combine
First, add all the ingredients- ketchup and mustard, paprika, mayonnaise, onion powder and garlic- to one small bowl and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Refrigerate the Special Burger Sauce
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or place in an airtight container. Slather this classic burger sauce on your burger buns and burger and enjoy. Use immediately or refrigerate.
Burger Sauce Frequently Asked Questions
Expert Tips for Making this Recipe for the Best Burger Sauce
It’s the best burger sauce but you can always make burgers better by adding your own spin on this classic recipe.
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: A great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and use for your party.
- Add Hot Sauce: A dash of hot sauce is always good to add a little zing.
- Variation tip: Try it on top of meatloaf or eggs.
- Alternate ingredient: Pickle relish can be used in place of pickle juice if you prefer a chunky sauce. You can also add a tablespoon of chipotle mayo to give this sauce a bit of spice.
- Bacon: Bacon bits add amazing flavor and texture to the sauce. Top with lettuce and tomato, or your other favorite toppings.
Best Burger Sauce
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoon Pickle juice, spicy
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- 1 clove Garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon Onion, grated
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Christina’s Notes
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: A great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and use for your party.
- Add Hot Sauce: A dash of hot sauce is always good to add a little zing.
- Variation tip: Try it on top of meatloaf, it is a game changer.
- Alternate ingredient: Pickle relish can be used in place of the juice if you prefer a chunky sauce.
- Bacon: Bacon bits add amazing flavor and texture to the sauce. Top with lettuce and tomato or your other favorite toppings.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
How would I make this sauce more red without changing the flavor? Food coloring maybe?
It doesn’t get any better than this! So yummy!
My husband loved this burger sauce. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks a bunch for sharing this burger sauce recipe, super delicious and very easy to make! Love it!
I have tried a few sauces since discovering Pinterest, this one is good. I made a small batch yesterday & wound up eating it all (I ate it on pretzels). Intend to make a bigger batch today.
My family is not a fan of mayonnaise. Can I sub if with miracle whip?
Sure, but it might change the flavor since Miracle Whip is tangier.
Please define “spicy pickle juice”. Is this a homemade pickle recipe? Is there a substitution?
This is what I’m referring to (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3ll7SeP
What do you mean when you say “spicy pickle juice”? Sweet, dill. sour.bread n butter, or???
I really want to do this, but want to do it correctly.
Thank you,
Spicy dill.
How long is this good for
I would use it within 3-4 days.
This is not a new culinary invention as it has been served on burgers from a chain of burgerville restaurants in the Pacific NW since the 1950s with the exception burgervilles recipe uses sweet relish in it..
uhhhh, Chris, bloggers aren’t out to introduce “new culinary inventions.” Rather, they’re putting their own spin on something & sharing it with the rest of us. Nope, burger sauce isn’t new, yet many readers appreciate getting recipes without wasting ingredients.
If that’s all you had to say, no one here would’ve missed your comment. Troll elsewhere.
Christina we love all your recipes going to try the chicken parmesan pasta tomorrow and the hamburger and sauce recipe for the 4th
We thought this sauce was delicious with our burgers and onion rings. I used regular pickle juice (not spicy) and also used garlic and onion powders instead of grated. It was so yummy!
can this sauce be canned safely?
Honestly, I’m not sure. I’ve never tried. :/