Big Mac Sauce is perfect on burgers, fries, and salads! With just a handful of basic ingredients, it's simple and delicious!
Big Mac Sauce is one of the reasons people buy the big mac, but little did you know, it's so easy to make it! Most of the ingredients are probably already in your fridge and pantry!
This Copycat Big Mac Sauce is delicious on a Big Mac Lettuce wrap, in a Big Mac Salad, or on burgers, fries, or whatever you want! Whip up a batch and keep it in the fridge to use as needed!
I absolutely loved this sauce on these Air Fryer Hamburgers and also Air Fryer Fish and Fish Sticks!
I love trying copycat sauces such as the delicious ZAX SAUCE, In-n-Out Sauce, or Outback Bloomin' Onion Sauce!
Making Big Mac Sauce is so easy and it only contains a few ingredients. If you look at the ingredient list from McDonalds, there will be tons of ingredients (33 to be exact) that you won't recognize like, 'Spice Extractives, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), and Vegetable Protein,' just to name a few. What are these things?!??!
I love to know what's actually in the food I'm eating, so figuring out how to make Big Mac Sauce without all the scary ingredients was a must for me, and not too difficult.
I tried various recipes I found online, but nothing seemed quite right. After tweaking things multiple times, I found the best copycat big mac sauce recipe!
How to make Big Mac Sauce:
**scroll all the way down for full ingredient list and printable directions**
- Add mayonnaise, relish, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings. Whisk to combine well.
- Place covered in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.
- Serve as desired, shaking/stirring before using, and store covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir before using.
How to use Big Mac Sauce:
Using this Copycat Big Mac Sauce is a non-issue! It's delicious on EVERYTHING!
- Use this sauce on the delicious low carb Big Mac Lettuce Wraps or on top of the Low Carb Big Mac Salad!
- If you like dipping french fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings in sauce, this is perfect.
- Perfect topping on these Air Fryer Hamburgers or Air Fryer Hot Dogs!
- Using Big Mac Sauce with Air Fryer Asparagus Fries or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer French Fries is also a winning combination!
- Baked Avocado Fries are also a delicious option for this sauce!
- Serve Big Mac Sauce over a salad as a delicious dressing. If you want the sauce a little thinner, just add a splash of milk or rice vinegar to the dressing.
- The obvious answer here is A BURGER! Whip up some homemade beef or veggie burgers and drizzle the big mac sauce over the top- YUM!
If you like dipping sauces as much as I do, check these dips out as well:
- Zaxby’s Sauce is perfect dip for chicken or french fries . With only a handful of ingredients, it’s super easy to make and majorly addicting!
- Copycat Chick-fil-A sauce is the BEST dipping sauce! This copycat recipe is spot on and perfect for dipping nuggets, fries, or topping burgers and sandwiches!
- Copycat Outback Bloom Sauce is perfect for Outback Bloomin Onion Petals or onion rings!
- Jalapeno Ranch is an easy dip/dressing that is tasty on everything! Use it on salads, dip fries and onion rings in it, or use it on my favorite- pizza!
- Cilantro Lime dip is delicious for chips, enchiladas, tacos- you name it!
Big Mac Sauce is perfect on burgers, fries, and salads! With just a handful of basic ingredients, it's simple and delicious!
- ½ cup mayonnaise, low fat if desired
- 2 TBS relish
- 1 ½ TBS mustard
- ½ TBS BBQ sauce
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ salt
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Add mayonnaise, relish, mustard, apple cider vinegar, BBQ sauce, and seasonings. Whisk to combine well.
-
Place covered in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.
-
Serve as desired, shaking/stirring before using.
Recipe Video
Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir before using.
Nutrition (calculated with low fat mayo, using 6 servings of about 2 TBS each):
- 49 calories, 3g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 5g sugar, 0g protein.
Originally published April 2019. Updated May 2022.
Ashley F says
We love this! Put it on everything!
Aimee Shugarman says
Tasted SPOT ON. So yummy.
Erin says
Summer grilling just got better! Going to be putting this on everything.
Kristyn says
Love adding sauce to burgers! It gives them such a nice, yummy bonus! Love that it requires ingredients I usually have on hand, too!
Chrissie Baker says
I don’t eat many Big Mac’s, but I do love them! I’m excited to make this sauce at home and add it to my own homemade burgers! Thanks for the recipe!!
Sommer says
Tasted just like the real thing!
Toni says
May I ask what relish you used ?
Waheeda says
Hi, it sounds divine. What kind of relish? Plus it’s hard to find in East Africa, what else could be used instead?
Dee says
This looks so tasty! Definitely having this for dinner tonight
Shelia says
6 and a half out if ten. To much vinegar fir my taste. Not bad though.
Jessica | The Novice Chef says
Ohh... I always love a good burger sauce!
Catalina says
wow! I was looking for this sauce. I am so glad to make it at home!
Valentina says
Amazing sauce recipe! We love to use this sauce for anything!
Sharon says
Never liked Big Mac's. But did like the sauce...lol now I can make it for on whatever I want.
Tab says
This was delicious!! We all loved it and tastes almost identical. This will be my go to sauce from now on. Ps, even better with pickles lol
Allyson says
I seriously love this sauce on EVERYTHING!!! So good!
Krista says
I love when you can have a homemade sauce at home!
Jackie says
This tastes just like the original from the golden arches. After working there for many years in college. I know what's good and what's bad. You have nailed it!
Marilyn says
Do you use dill or sweet pickle relish? Also what brand of BBQ sauce as some are sweeter than others?
Allyson says
Hey there! I used sweet relish. I also used just a generic BBQ sauce from Kroger so I would just use what you typically use as long as it's not smoked or with extra flavors.
Chad says
@Allyson
You probably get this alot,and no white knight, but I would crawl across the entire Sahara desert with nothing to drink but Rebel Wilson's chest sweat and Justin Bieber songs playing in my ear the entire time if it meant I could kiss the ground your muddy boots once walked on.
Allyson says
OMG you are cracking me up! Love it!!!
Double Wide Surprise says
That's kinda creepy ngl
Allyson says
hahahahahaha!
Terry says
Easy recipe and tastes great. Maybe a little too vinegary for my taste so I may cut the cider vinegar portion (or possibly the mustard portion) next time around.
Virginia Roark says
I thought it was absolute perfect until I added the paprika.
Shiyam says
The Mustard? What kind of mustard?
Allyson says
regular yellow mustard
Lisa says
I haven't tried this yet ... literally just found this recipe ... but I'm so excited about it. One of the ingredients you listed that is in big mac sauce (propylene glycol alginate) is a severe anaphylaxis allergy for me all of a sudden! It is a type of algae and I have developed a severe allergy to all things that come from the ocean. Now that I have to read every ingredient for everything I eat, I'm shocked at the multitude of random itemsisted in the foods we eat.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I love a good Big Mac but will now always have to make them at home. No more McDonald's for me until their ingredients change, which I'm sure will never happen!!
Allyson says
That is so crazy!!! I also developed an anaphylaxis allergy to avocado when I was pregnant with my first and now can't eat it! It's too crazy! You will LOVE this sauce! It's the best!
Brandy L Davenport says
This happened to my DIL when she was pregnant too! Only she doesn't get anaphylaxis she gets gastroparesis for like a week or longer if she has any!! She loves avocados and used to eat them all the time. Now, NADA!
Allyson says
Really?!?! You are the first person I have ever heard of that happening to as well! My OB ended up telling me later after that, that it signifies a latex allergy and when I had my second child the room had to be completely latex free! Was crazy!
Martha says
Even easier is to mix Kraft Tartar Sauce with Marzetti's Thousand Island dressing. Voilá! Big Mac Sauce with two ingredients!
Markeazy says
How much do you mix in?
Kay says
How is that 2 ingredients??! Two processed ‘foods’ mixed together is not two ingredients 🤦🏻♀️
Cindy says
Mmm this is the best. I make vegan big macs for the kids and this is our go to recipe.
Allyson says
So yummy right!!!!
Kevin says
How do you make a sauce with Mayo (eggs) "vegan" ? just curious
Allyson says
Maybe use vegan mayo?
Debra says
I like a product called Veganaise from a company called Follow Your Heart. Hellman’s also makes a vegan Mayo but I haven’t tried it.
marvina Rose johnson says
Sounds awesome. However, sweet or dill relish?
Allyson says
sweet relish is the one I always use!
Charlie says
The original Big Mac sauce called for equal parts
of both sweet relish AND dill relish.
Also, equal parts mayo AND Miracle Whip. It also
used a small amount of French Dressing (Wish Bone,
to be specific) and a little bit of ketchup.
Jon says
Great sauce I made this the other night for my youtube channel and it was perfect check it out if you want https://youtu.be/6jSI3iDg1OQ
Allyson says
Looks great, Jon! Cheers!
chris says
What type of bbq??
Allyson says
I just use an 'original' BBQ sauce.
Carlos says
Awesome! I didn't use onion powder (my wife hates onion) and replaced BBQ sauce with some ketchup (didn't realize I was out of BBQ sauce). Also didn't add vinegar because the first time I made it the vinegar was a little bit overwhelming for me (Didn't have relish that time though). Anyway, even with those changes it was delicious!!!! Great recipe!
Ed Boress says
I have to disagree somewhat.
Taste their sauce again. There is a very slight hint of horseradish. I'm sure it's in powder form. Mind you, it's not burn your nostrils hot. It's extremely subtle.
Celeste says
Absolutely true! Good for you for deciphering it.
Laurie DeClara says
What kind of mustard?
Yellow, spicy brown, Dijon? Prepared? Powdered?
Allyson says
Yellow mustard as shown in the photo 🙂
Ted says
There is no tomato in Big Mac sauce per McDonald’s website:
Big Mac Sauce
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.
Allyson says
Thanks, Ted! As I mentioned in the post, this is a copycat recipe where you will actually know what all the ingredients in it are....not things people can barely pronounce like Propylene Glycol Alginat 😉 Happy Cooking!
Tom says
The whole point is a healthier version. If you want exactly same I suggest going to McDonalds lol just mixed my first try and in fridge now. I was a little concerned it did taste bit strong on the viniger but before chilled. I will get back after chilled.
celeste says
They don't post the REAL recipe.
Amal Abdallah says
I love Bic Mac Burger, I always thought the sauce had small diced onions in it, could I add some if I want? And does it matter what kind of onions?
Allyson says
The burger itself has onions on it, but not the sauce - feel free to use! I would use a white onion!
David Martin says
Amal, you are NOT allowed to add onions to the Mac sauce. If you do MacPolice will come to your house and take you to MacJail...
Allyson says
You're cracking me up!
Jessica says
Great copycat! Tangy and better than the original. Thanks for sharing it!
Mae James says
This was disgusting and didn't taste anything like mac sauce. I was really looking forward to this.
Allyson says
Yikes! Sorry your tastebuds are acting up!
Lizz says
I tried it just now and I had my son give it a go I didn't tell him what it was and first thing he said... wow mom this tastes like Mac sauce, so not sure what Mae is talking about it's pretty damn close to the real thing...thanks for sharing 🙂
Allyson says
I agree but I guess everyone has different taste buds lol!
Mia says
This didn’t taste exactly like Big Mac sauce until I added about a TBS of ketchup. It was a little too tangy for me so next time I’d hold back a little on the vinegar. Of course this is right after I made it so I’ll see after it melds for a few hours. Thanks for the recipe.
Jaqui says
Did you use sweet relish or dill relish for this recipe?
Allyson says
sweet relish
Allyson says
Karen, no one said YOU had to buy store bought mayo. Feel free to come down from your high horse and join the rest of us, otherwise...bye!
Alexander James Czimback says
There’s always one, who just can’t say kindly, it’s not exactly what I like.
Culinary,is about adjusting, to what you prefer.
I love the recipe, although I used distilled vinegar, that I prefer.
Otherwise, great recipe.
Allyson says
You are right! So glad you enjoyed it!
Malaika Archer says
This sauce looks like it would go so well with a nice, hot batch of fries. I love a good dipping sauce with my fries.
Christine says
This looks very good please send me the website thank you
Miles Fortuna says
What I instantly liked about your recipe - No Ketchup or French/Thousand Island salad dressing. I like the tangy taste, but made it sweeter for my kids by adding more BBQ sauce, and used Onion salt powder. Perfect! Stored in a empty food jar, and it will be permanent home condiment. Overall 5-star rating, thank you for sharing.
David Martin says
"No ketchup"? Barbeque sauce starts life as ketchup...
Beth says
I have to give this a try! We're grilling burgers this weekend, so this couldn't be better timing.
Caitlin says
I'm no Mac Sauce sommelier, but this is sauce is pretty bang-on.
Thank you!
Catalina says
Now our hamburger will be much better! We use to make them at least once a week!
Erin says
It's absolutely fantastic!
Sandra says
I love this sauce!! So amazing! Thank you so much!
Tina says
Made a few changes: Used dill pickle cubes and cut the vinegar. Added a little extra BBQ sauce and used grated fresh onion, and smoked paprika. The sauce was amazing!
David Martin says
Yes to dill pickles! Sweet are nasty. Same goes for 'Sweet Tea'. Just awful. You can't quench your thirst with sugar water...
Shelby says
Yummy! I made this to go along with some homemade smash burgers. Hubby loved it! Thank you!
J says
this was amazing! i was shocked how close it tasted to the real thing. definitely satisfied my craving and so so easy. thank you!
Winniebear says
Whether this tastes like mac sauce or not, it's still delicious. Just like anything other sauce, dip, or condiment you make at home, it's important to let it sit overnight for all of the flavors to meld. We enjoyed this very much! Thank you for posting this.
Dennis says
Doesn't really taste like Mac sauce BUT the sauce is fantastic,everyone loved it, It's my new go to burger sauce.
Thanks for the recipe!
Mary Jenkins says
Hi Did you use dry mustard powder, American mustard or Dijon?
Allyson says
regular yellow mustard
Lisa Martell says
So excited to try this...I am a big mac sauce addict. But what type of BBQ sauce is used?
Allyson says
I just use regular BBQ sauce, like sweet baby ray's original. You dont want something overly smokey or sweet.
Tara E says
We replaced apple cider vinegar with white vinegar and cut back the relish a little but omg was it ever good ! Been trying these for years and this one has been the closest yet! Must be the bbq sauce ! Thanks for sharing! We now have a new staple here !
Guy who made this recipe says
This recipe isn't bad, but the mustard ratio is super overpowering, I used some standard yellow deli mustard on this recipe and after it all melted it just tastes like relish and mustard mainly, which isn't to say it was bad just a lil off from Mac Sauce, I'd opt for a half tablespoon of mustard, and a lil more paprika
All in all , pretty close, not too bad
Charlene says
Great easy to follow recipies.
Nico says
This was really good!! I made some altercations by adding a few squirts of ketchup and a little extra mayo because it was a bit too mustard heavy for me, but once I added those it was soooo good!!!
Cheryl says
This sauce is spot on! I use it on my Big Mac pizza and of course burgers. Bravo Allyson 🙌
Allyson says
I am so happy to hear you like it! It's really great on everything!