This copycat Big Mac sauce recipe tastes just like the real thing! Use homemade Big Mac sauce as a dip for French fries, slather it on these juicy smoked burgers, or add it to your favorite sandwiches and salads!
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One thing I've been doing more and more often recently is trying to perfect copycat recipes - in other words, replicating recipes from popular food chains. As we all know, prices have skyrocketed in the last few years, and the fast food industry is no exception.
It's gotten to the point where it's cheaper to eat at a sit-down restaurant than to go through the McDonald's drive-thru! Or, better yet, you can make your favorite fast food items at home, like this homemade Big Mac sauce recipe!
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mayo: I recommend Kewpie mayo, but you can use regular mayo. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for a high-protein option.
- Relish: Sweet pickle relish, not dill relish.
- Mustard: McDonald's uses Düsseldorf mustard, but I chose to use stone-ground mustard. You can also use Dijon mustard or yellow mustard.
- Vinegar: White wine vinegar is ideal, but you can also use apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Garlic: Garlic powder is what McDonald's uses, but you can also use minced garlic if you prefer.
- Onion: I use dried onion flakes, but you can substitute onion powder or even freshly minced onion.
- Pepper: White or black pepper.
*See recipe card below for full list of ingredients
🍅 How To Make Big Mac Sauce
Step 1: Add mayonnaise, relish, mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, onion flakes, paprika, and white pepper to a bowl. Stir to combine. Use at once or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
🍔 How To Make A Big Mac
You will need: Sesame buns, Big Mac sauce, shredded lettuce, two beef patties, one slice of American cheese, diced onions, and sliced dill pickles.
Step 1: Start with three sesame seed buns (a top and bottom bun, as well as an additional bottom to go between them as the middle layer). Lightly toast the buns in a skillet.
Step 2: Place the bottom sesame seed bun on a plate and top with a layer of Big Mac sauce. Add a handful of shredded lettuce.
Step 3: Add a fully cooked beef patty topped with a slice of American cheese.
Step 4: Place the middle bun on top and add another layer of Big Mac sauce, followed by more shredded lettuce as well as diced onions and pickle slices.
Step 5: Add another beef patty to the stack and finish it off with the top bun.
Enjoy copycat recipes? Try this copycat Trader Joe's butternut squash mac and cheese and this Taco Bell quesadilla sauce!
🍟 Serving Suggestions
This copycat Big Mac sauce is obviously perfect for burgers, but why stop there? There are many other ways to make use of this tasty, tangy sauce! Here are some suggestions:
- Drizzle it like a salad dressing over this Big Mac salad, dill pickle salad, or whatever salad you prefer!
- Use it as a dipping sauce for fries, onion rings, portobello mushroom fries, panko shrimp, air fried potato wedges, chicken nuggets, and more!
- Slather it on chicken sandwiches, Reuben sandwiches, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, and a chop cheese.
Need more copycat sauce recipe ideas? Make sure you try this easy Taco Bell quesadilla sauce!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Is Big Mac sauce just Thousand Island?
Thousand Island dressing may be the closest thing to McDonald's special sauce, but there is a difference between the two. McDonald's Big Mac sauce has more acidity due to the addition of vinegar, and, unlike Thousand Island, does not include ketchup.
Is Big Mac sauce gluten-free?
McDonald's has confirmed their Big Mac sauce does not contain gluten!
Is Big Mac sauce vegan?
Because McDonald's uses mayo in their Big Mac sauce, it is not vegan-friendly.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Most people assume the reddish tint comes from ketchup, but it's actually paprika that gives it that warm color! If you add ketchup, it will throw off the whole flavor of the sauce.
- Store homemade Big Mac sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- This sauce is pretty thick! If you want to thin it out, you can mix in a small amount of water until it reaches the desired consistency.
🥪 More Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this Big Mac Sauce recipe, check out this blue cheese dip for hot wings and these other great sauces!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add mayonnaise, relish, mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, onion flakes, paprika, and white pepper to a bowl. Stir to combine. Use at once or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
Notes
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- Most people assume the reddish tint comes from ketchup, but it's actually paprika that gives it that warm color! If you add ketchup, it will throw off the whole flavor of the sauce.
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- Store homemade Big Mac sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
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- This sauce is pretty thick! If you want to thin it out, you can mix in a small amount of water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Elaine says
Tastes like the real deal!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Elaine! So glad to hear it!
Kelly Methey says
I worked at McDonald’s as a teenager. For my break I always made myself a Big Mac with tons of sauce and extra pickles. I always ate my fries dipped in the sauce, also. It was so good, I can’t wait try this sauce, it sounds like a perfect copycat! Yum!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, Kelly! Hope you enjoy it and it brings back some great memories!