This easy copycat Big Mac sauce recipe is here to save the day and satisfy your Big Mac special sauce cravings. It's the perfect way to recreate a classic Big Mac at home!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Fans of the iconic Big Mac know that it's not complete without its signature special sauce. But you don't have to settle for without it when making burgers on the grill at home.
Now you can replicate the fast-food classic Big Mac Special Sauce right in your own kitchen.
In just minutes, you can enjoy the bold flavors of that classic McDonald's Special Sauce right at home while feeling like a top chef with this simple, delicious Big Mac sauce recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- What Is Big Mac Sauce?
- Ingredients For Big Mac Sauce
- How to Make Big Mac Sauce
- What To Use Homemade Big Mac Sauce On
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions & Variations
- Storage
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- 📖 Recipe
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
What Is Big Mac Sauce?
Big Mac Sauce is the iconic sauce that Mc'Donald's described as one of the components for their classic Big Mac burger. McDonald's refers to it as their Big Mac Secret Sauce also.
It's a savory blend of mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, vinegar, and spices all blended together. Our Big Mac Sauce recipe does not have catsup, French salad dressing, or extra sugar, because McDonald's Big Mac Sauce doesn't either!
Ingredients For Big Mac Sauce
All it takes is some ingredients most likely already in your kitchen to make this copycat Big Mac sauce recipe.
So, What's In Big Mac Sauce?
For our homemade Big Mac sauce you will need the following basic pantry ingredients.
- Mayonnaise - any brand.
- Sweet Pickle Relish - any brand.
- Dijon Mustard - any brand.
- Vinegar - White or cider vinegar.
- Garlic powder - fine garlic powder, any brand.
- Onion powder - fine onion powder, any brand.
- Paprika - regular Paprika, not Smoked Paprika.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Big Mac Sauce
Next time you make burgers at home you can surprise everyone with this homemade Big Mace sauce! Let's dig into making this homemade Big Mac sauce together.
Measure Ingredients Into A Bowl
- Measure the mayonnaise, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and seasonings all into a medium size bowl.
Mix Ingredients For Big Mac Sauce
- Using a whisk, blend the Big Mac sauce ingredients until they are smooth (except for the obvious sweet relish chunks of course).
Chill & Serve
- Place your homemade Big Mac sauce in an 8 oz Ball or Mason jar and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, for the flavors to marry. Serve, but keep any leftovers refrigerated.
PRO TIP: You can use this Big Mac Sauce recipe very much like you would Alabama White Barbecue Sauce! Simply baste on chicken next time you are grilling!
What To Use Homemade Big Mac Sauce On
This easy copycat Big Mac sauce recipe is fantastic on burgers and chicken tenders. Try our Big Mac Sauce recipe when making:
- Air Fryer Frozen Crinkle Fries
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
- Air Fryer Dinosaur Nuggets (no dinosaurs were harmed in making nuggets)!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions & Variations
If you love this homemade Big Mac Sauce recipe, than you might also like our Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce recipe! Both are absolutely delicious on barbecued meats and burgers, fish sticks, chicken tenders, and for dipping cut carrot and celery sticks.
- Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce - Perfect on Air Fryer Tenders, or Air Fryer Fish Sticks.
- Keto Tartar Sauce Recipe - The best keto Tartar sauce, so good you can't tell, and don't care that it's Keto!
- Mexican White Sauce - This Mexican White Rango sauce is a delight for dipping tortilla chips in, dipping Air Fryer Taquitos in, as well as slathering on any Mexican style food.
Our Big Mac sauce recipe is about as close as you can get to the real thing. The actual listing of ingredients for the Mc'Donald's Food Service size containers of Secret Sauce is as follows:
Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Sweet Relish (diced Pickles, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Corn Syrup, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, Spice Extractives), Water, Egg Yolks, Distilled Vinegar, Spices, Onion Powder, Salt, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Garlic Powder, Vegetable Protein (hydrolyzed Corn, Soy And Wheat), Sugar, Caramel Color, Turmeric, Extractives Of Paprika, Soy Lecithin.
McDonald's
The good news is our homemade Big Mac Sauce recipe doesn't need all the stabilizers and additives in it!
Storage
Store leftover copycat Big Mac sauce in a covered jar or container in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I use an 8 oz Ball or Mason canning jar, but any jar or squeeze bottle will work fine!
Tips for Success
- Better make extra, because once you have your own homemade Big Mac sauce on hand, you'll want to use it on lots of things!
- Use Sweet Relish, that is the secret ingredient!
- Did you know you can use this homemade Big Mac Sauce like you would an Alabama White Barbeque sauce?? Yes indeed! While grilling your chicken, brush some Big Mac Sauce on like you would barbecue sauce! It's amazing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Although Big Mac Sauce is similar to Thousand Island Dressing, the two are NOT exactly the same. Thousand Island dressing is not as spicy and is also sweeter.
Nor does it contain added sugar. In 2012, McDonald's executive chef Dan Coudreaut released a YouTube video revealing the recipe of the iconic Big Mac sauce. It consists of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish and yellow mustard whisked together with vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. The recipe was in flux for a few years, with two versions until 1972 when the current recipe was settled upon.
Big Mac Sauce CAN easily be keto! Use Dukes or JFG Mayonnaise (neither have any sugar added), and opt for a keto sweet pickle relish. All the other ingredients are already sugar free, and naturally keto!
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
📖 Recipe
Big Mac Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon vinegar white or apple cider
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika regular Paprika, not the smoked!
Instructions
- Measure the mayonnaise, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and seasonings all into a medium size bowl.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Using a whisk, blend the Big Mac sauce ingredients until they are smooth (except for the obvious sweet relish chunks of course).
- Place your homemade Big Mac sauce in an 8 oz Ball or Mason jar and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, for the flavors to marry. Serve, but keep any leftovers refrigerated.PRO TIP: You can use this Big Mac Sauce recipe very much like you would Alabama White Barbecue Sauce! Simply baste on chicken next time you are grilling!
Notes
- Better make extra, because once you have your own homemade Big Mac sauce on hand, you'll want to use it on lots of things!
- Use Sweet Relish, that is the secret ingredient!
- Did you know you can use this homemade Big Mac Sauce like you would an Alabama White Barbeque sauce?? Yes indeed! While grilling your chicken, brush some Big Mac Sauce on like you would barbecue sauce! It's amazing!
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