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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Sauces

The Best Burger Sauce

Feb 4, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 14 Comments

45 shares
Diet: Gluten Free / Low Carb / Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
The best burger sauce with a text title overlay.
The best burger sauce with a text title overlay.

Our homemade burger sauce couldn't be easier to make. Just 1 minute to make and you probably already have all the ingredients to make it. This is the BEST burger sauce and it will take homemade burger night to the next level.

A glass full of burger sauce next to two hamburgers.

What is Burger Sauce?

Well, it's sauce that you put on a burger. Although, we would happily dip homemade chips into this, so make extra! Basically, our homemade burger sauce is a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, hot dog mustard and then a little juice from a jar of pickles to thin it out.

SO simple, but the flavour is incredible and just the kind of sauce you would get at a top burger restaurant.

If you love Big Mac sauce, then you are going to LOVE this. Our burger sauce recipe is smooth and creamy, with a slight tang to it.

If you are looking for some more sauce recipes, why not try our Sour Cream and Chive Dip, Homemade Ketchup, Healthy BBQ Sauce or Chipotle Southwest Sauce?

Jump to:
  • What is Burger Sauce?
  • Why You Will Love It
  • Ingredients and Substitutions
  • How to Make Burger Sauce - Step by Step
  • How to Use Burger Sauce
  • Extra Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Sauce Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why You Will Love It

  • Minimal ingredients - Just 4 ingredients is all you need to make this homemade burger sauce, and you probably already have them in your kitchen.
  • Quick and easy - It takes just 1 minute to make and it's as easy as mixing everything in a bowl.
  • Adaptable - Although this recipe is simple, there are a few ways to adapt it in the extra tips section below.
  • Versatile - Not just for burgers, this makes an incredible dipping sauce.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Mayonnaise - For the best flavour, go with full fat mayo. You could use reduced fat, or even replace half with yogurt, but it will totally change the flavour.
  • Ketchup - We always go with Heinz as it's the best store bought one. It also isn't overly vinegary, which you don't want because you are adding the juice from a pickle jar. You could, of course, use our Homemade Ketchup.
  • Mustard - You want hot dog mustard here. But if Dijon is all you have, then than would work too. English mustard is very strong and will overpower the other flavours.
  • Pickle juice - This is the "secret" (not so secret now) ingredient for homemade burger sauce. Not only does it add the acidity that the sauce needs to balance out the creaminess, but it gives that pickle flavour that you need in a burger. If you don't have this, you can add white wine vinegar instead. You could also use lemon juice, which would add some freshness.

More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.

How to Make Burger Sauce - Step by Step

Mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and pickle juice in a bowl.
  1. Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
Everything mixed in the bowl to form a burger sauce.
  1. Step 2: Mix well.

How to Use Burger Sauce

Well, the most obvious answer here is on a burger. We smothered this sauce on our Air Fryer Burgers, but it would also go well on our Baked Chicken Burgers, Lamb Burgers and our awesome Burger Bowl.

It makes a good hot dog sauce too, when you can't decide between mustard and ketchup.

But, this is SO much more than just a burger sauce. It's a really good dipping sauce for potatoes. Whether it's our Paprika Chips, Air Fryer Chips, Baked Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer Potato Wedges.

We also think it makes a pretty amazing dip for our Baked Halloumi Fries too.

Extra Tips

  • For a little extra texture in your burger sauce, you could finely dice some shallots and mix them in. You could also add in diced pickles.
  • Try to leave the sauce in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. This allows all the flavours to really come together.
  • You could add a pinch of onion powder for extra flavour.
  • We don't season it with any salt, as there is already some in the ingredients used to make the sauce.
  • Add a pinch of paprika to give the burger sauce a smoky flavour.
A glass full of burger sauce with a spoon in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store burger sauce

Try to only make as much as you need, as it doesn't keep for too long. But any leftovers will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to make burger sauce vegan

To make a vegan version of this, use a plant based mayo and serve it on your favourite vegan burger.

Can I freeze burger sauce?

No, we wouldn't recommend freezing this as the texture isn't right when defrosted.

A hand drizzling some burger sauce onto a hamburger.

More Sauce Recipes

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    Katsu Curry Sauce (just like Wagamama)
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    Halloween Dip
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    Easy Bread Sauce
  • Slow Cooker Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce mixed into pasta.
    Slow Cooker Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce

If you’ve tried this burger sauce recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

The best burger sauce in a glass on a board with two burgers.

The Best Burger Sauce

By: Dannii Martin
Just 1 minute to make, this is the BEST burger sauce ever, and it will take homemade burger night to the next level.
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
The words low carb in a white circle.
Low Carb
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
5 from 15 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Sauce/Spread
Cuisine: American
Prep: 1 minute min
Total: 1 minute min
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 148kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy
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Eggs

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoon Mayonnaise
  • 6 tablespoon Ketchup
  • 2 tablespoon Yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Pickle vinegar

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
  • Mix well.

Recipe Tips

  • For a little extra texture in your burger sauce, you could finely dice some shallots and mix them in. You could also add in diced pickles.
  • Try to leave the sauce in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. This allows all the flavours to really come together.
  • You could add a pinch of onion powder for extra flavour.
  • We don't season it with any salt, as there is already some in the ingredients used to make the sauce.
  • Add a pinch of paprika to give the burger sauce a smoky flavour.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Jade says

    July 05, 2023 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    There was once a time I'd spend up to $6 for the 'best' burger sauce from the local IGA yet it would be only enough for about 4 burgers, this recipe was AMAZING with lots to spare! I won't ever buy it again!! I added some dill and diced up some pickles, highly recommend!!

    Reply
    • Dannii Martin says

      July 06, 2023 at 7:56 am

      oooh, love the addition of dill. So glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  2. Gloria says

    March 10, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    5 stars
    Homemade condiments are the best. Perfect for burgers and sandwiches. I would even use it as a dip.

    Reply
  3. Tavo says

    March 10, 2023 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    Loved loved loved this sauce! I used it for my chickpea burgers and it was terrific!

    Reply
  4. Josh and Erin says

    March 10, 2023 at 12:22 pm

    5 stars
    You weren't kidding when you said this was the best!

    Reply
  5. Kushigalu says

    March 10, 2023 at 11:33 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for this delicious sauce recipe. Pinned to try this soon.

    Reply
  6. Alison Saalbach Corey says

    February 27, 2023 at 9:35 pm

    5 stars
    Full of flavor and easy to make. My kid's will surely love this sauce!

    Reply
  7. Min says

    February 27, 2023 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Such a fantastic burger sauce. I'm putting it on everything going forward! I used white vinegar instead of pickle vinegar since I didn't have that at hand. Worked great.

    Reply
  8. TAYLER ROSS says

    February 27, 2023 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    I made this sauce for burger night last night and it was wonderful! Won't have a burger without it!

    Reply
  9. Tara says

    February 27, 2023 at 2:01 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yum! Definitely the perfect way to elevate burgers. I love how this sauce comes together in only a minute with four ingredients.

    Reply
  10. Ned says

    February 27, 2023 at 12:10 pm

    5 stars
    This sauce is incredible! We have a sauce called fry sauce where I live that is super popular. It is similar. I loved the addition of mustard to your sauce! Thank you!

    Reply
  11. Kate says

    February 27, 2023 at 11:27 am

    5 stars
    Yum! The pickle brine was the secret ingredient! Love this sauce. We also dunked our oven fries into it.

    Reply
  12. Vidya Narayan says

    February 27, 2023 at 11:04 am

    5 stars
    Super easy and flavorful. We loved it!

    Reply
  13. Anjali says

    February 27, 2023 at 9:04 am

    5 stars
    Omg this sauce was so flavorful and easy to make! Adding the pickle vinegar was genius!

    Reply
5 from 15 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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