This McDonald’s classic takes great on more than just burgers. Serve big mac sauce with fries, slather it on sandwiches, or drizzle it on a crunchy salad. It’s quick, easy, & oh-so-creamy!
Let’s face it. It wouldn’t be a big mac without two all-beef patties smothered in special sauce on a sesame seed bun. A little bit sweet, a little bit zesty, and undeniably creamy, this sauce is easy to make in your own kitchen!
It’s basically a glorified version of thousand island dressing. And it’s easier to make too! This homemade sauce comes so close to the original, it’s hard to tell the difference.
I like to double this recipe and serve it with burgers, hot dogs, crunchy salads, chicken tenders, French fries … even an Air Fryer Chicken Burger, Quick and Easy French Onion Burger or a Cheeseburger Crescent Ring! Ditch the bottle, this version is dangerously good and budget-friendly with no weird additives!
What is Big Mac Sauce?
Big mac sauce is a creamy condiment made specifically by McDonald’s for the big mac. It’s made with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, ketchup, French dressing, vinegar, and spices!
It’s not exactly the same as thousand island, but it is a variation of it. They contain many of the same ingredients, but thousand island typically has finely chopped ingredients like onions and hard-boiled eggs.
Big Mac Sauce Ingredients
All of the ingredients for this copycat recipe can easily be found at your local grocery store.
- Mayonnaise – This creamy and rich condiment is the base of big mac sauce.
- Sweet pickle relish – Buy sweet relish or make your own instead! Finely chop sweet pickles and you’ve got relish!
- French dressing – For that sweet and tangy bite!
- Ketchup – For that classic pink color and slight tomato flavor.
- Sugar – Can’t mistake that touch of sweetness!
- Vinegar – A small amount of vinegar cuts through the heaviness for a well-balanced sauce.
- Salt – Don’t forget to season! Even condiments need a pinch of salt.
- Spices – For a bit of savory flavor, garlic and onion powder do the trick!
Variations
There are a few ways to make this sauce your own, just keep in mind it will no longer taste like the McDonald’s big mac sauce we know and love.
- Seasonings – In addition to the garlic and onion powder, you can throw in some smoked paprika. This adds a smoky flavor that I love.
- Condiments – In addition to the white vinegar, you could also add a dash of yellow mustard or dijon mustard for even more acidity.
- Mayo – Instead of using plain mayo, try adding something like sriracha mayo for even more flavor.
How to Make Big Mac Sauce
Making this copycat big mac sauce recipe is as easy as one, two, three!
- Add ingredients to bowl. Measure all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl.
- Stir to combine. Stir with a spoon and taste.
- Enjoy! Enjoy with all your favorite foods!
How to Use Big Mac Sauce
Think beyond the burger! Of course McDonald’s special sauce tastes great when paired with burger patties, buns and a slice of american cheese. But there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it.
- Big mac salad – Forget the top bun and bottom bun- go low carb and turn your favorite burger into a salad. With iceberg lettuce, ground beef, dill pickles and shredded cheese, use this sauce as a salad dressing on top.
- As a dip – You can also use this sauce as a dip. It tastes great with things like chicken nuggets, onion rings and even french fries. And let me tell you- it is also great for veggies, even air fryer zucchini fries!
- Sandwich spread – You don’t have to stick to burgers, this sauce would taste great on any number of sandwiches.
Storage and Freezing
How to Store This Secret Sauce
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, big mac sauce lasts for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Store in a sealed jar or airtight container for best results.
Can I Freeze Homemade Big Mac Sauce?
Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing mayo based sauces. They do not keep their consistency when thawed.
More Homemade Condiment Recipes
If you know me, you know how much I love a homemade sauce. Here are a few of our favorite homemade sauce recipes.
Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Spicy Aioli Recipe
Big Mac Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon French dressing
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, French dressing, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Stir until well combined.
- Enjoy with burgers, hot dogs, and French fries!
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Nutrition
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try it soon!
This tastes just like Big Mac’s sauce. So good on fries. Yum!
This is even tastier than the original!! Love it with burgers, but I also use it as a fry sauce too. Yum.
This tastes just like the big mac sauce but it’s even better because now we can make it at home! So simple and easy!
This looks incredible as I am sure it tastes. I love burgers!