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Copycat Zax Sauce Recipe (Zaxby’s Sauce)

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This signature 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!

This signature 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!Zaxby’s sauce is extremely popular in the South, as Zaxby’s is everywhere. I had never heard of Zaxby’s until I moved to Georgia, because they didn’t have any locations in any of the other places I’ve lived. Once you try it, you will never go back to other sauces – it’s delicious on EVERYTHING! I originally posted this recipe in 2013 (wow 5 years ago!), but am updating it now (Oct. 2018) with some more valuable information. With nearly 1 million pins on Pinterest, this Copycat Zaby’s Sauce is a sure-fire hit recipe!

How to make Copycat Zaxby’s Sauce:

**Scroll down for full ingredient list and directions**

  • Mix together ketchup, mayonnaise, and garlic powder. Add Worcestershire sauce and continue to mix. Add a layer of black pepper to the top of the sauce (about 1 tsp) and mix again. Repeat the black pepper and mix again.
  • Place the Zaxby’s sauce into the fridge and allow to meld for at least 2 hours. 

What is Zaxby’s Sauce?

  • Zaxby’s sauce is a creamy blend of zesty spices whose tangy taste was custom-made for Zaxby’s delicious Chicken Fingerz. Come to find out the sauce is great with fries as well.
  • Also know as Fry Sauce in Utah, sometimes called Pink Sauce, and also resembling Raising Canes Sauce from a Baton Rouge chain called Raising Canes, these versions are practically the same, just a different name.

How to store Zaxby’s sauce, and how long it lasts:

  • Store Zaxby’s sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 
  • The sauce should last at least 2 weeks, but up to a month in the fridge- doubtful it ill last that long though!

This signature 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!

More amazing sauces you might like:

  • Chiptole Ranch is a spiced up ranch that is perfect on chicken, fries, salads, wraps, or whatever! It’s great and so easy to make!
  • Big Mac Sauce is perfect on burgers, fries, and salads! With just a handful of basic ingredients, it’s simple and delicious!
  • Copycat Outback Bloom sauce is the Outback Steakhouse staple that goes with the bloomin’ onion. Try it with chicken, salad, on wraps, or with a burger!
  • Creamy Jalapeno Ranch is perfect on salads, nachos, or whatever! This spicy ranch is a staple!
  • Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce is the perfect Asian staple! Use this for egg rolls or any delicious Asian meal!

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5 from 21 votes
Print
Copycat Zax Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

This signature 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!

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: zaxbys sauce
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 162 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions

  1. Mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and garlic powder. Add Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Cover the surface of sauce with lots of black pepper until just coated, mix. Repeat process covering surface with black pepper (about 1 tsp total) and stir until mixed.

  2. Refrigerate for at least two hours prior to use to allow the flavors to meld.

  3. Serve with chicken fingers or fries!
Recipe Notes

Originally published in 2013 - this post has been updated as of Oct. 2018.

This signature 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!
This signature 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!
This signature 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!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I have never heard of Zaxby’s, but I love dipping my fries in sauce! Sounds delicious 🙂

    Reply

  3. I was surprised when I moved to GA that you could have a restaurant of all chicken finger type items. You don’t find that up north. I love dipping my chicken fingers in the zax sauce. People are missing out if they’ve never tried zaxbys! They also have the best ice for drinks.

    Reply

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    Reply

  6. Girrrrrl, you have just made my MONTH! Last time we were in the States, I introduced my husband to Zaxbys and he fell in love. I swear, I have dreams about that sauce and as soon as we go back to visit my parents, that’s the first place we eat! Needless to say, Zaxby’s hasn’t exactly expanded to England yet, but now I can make this sauce here! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂

    Reply

  7. I haven’t ever been to Zaxbys but it sounds like I have been missin out. I would never have thought of this combination. Now that you put it out there it makes perfect sense though! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend.

    Reply

  8. OMG, you have no idea how much you just made my day with this recipe. I absolutely love Zaxby’s and I don’t live on the East Coast anymore so I haven’t had any in over 3 1/2 years. We go for a visit next week and it will be one of my first stops, but this recipe will be getting tried this weekend for sure. I can’t wait to try this. I am a new follower from the Freedom Fridays link party. Thanks so much for sharing this!!!

    Reply

  10. A Utah original. Fry Sauce. It’s free at every restaurant. Fry sauce goes on everything here. No ketchup! LoL! It is so popular that national chain restaurants had to start offering it at their Utah locations. Cheesecake factory has their own version in all there Utah locations.
    Try mixing mayo + BBQ sauce + a little ketchup= Training tables fry sauce. Great stuff!!

    Reply

    • I had never heard of this fry sauce until now! I am going to ask my Utah friends about it! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

    • Hmm, I’m not sure because we have never had extra! This recipe doesn’t make a huge amount. I would probably assume if in a sealed container (like mason jar), probably a week or more…

      Reply

  12. Yep, Fry Sauce is a staple here in Utah at almost all restaurants and homes (a regional restaurant based in Utah claims to be the inventor). It’s such a “Utah” thing that during the 2002 Olympics there was even a Fry Sauce trading pin. Try it on your burgers. Glad to see similar recipes are finally available outside of the Western states.

    Reply

  13. Here in NW Missouri we call it Artic Circle sauce after the restaurant that was here for years. Love the stuff, always have it with fries!

    Reply

  15. Zaxby’s is awesome, the original Zax restaurants Re in Athens, Statesboro and Valdosta. LOVE, LOVE the saucs and dip the chicken, fries and toast in it. I can’t wait to try this out.

    Reply

    • I didn’t know that Zaxby’s had started in GA! That’s so fun to know! I have been to the Original Moe’s, but I will have to be on the lookout for Zaxby’s next time we are in Athens (My husband went to UGA!). Thanks for stopping by, Robin!

      Reply

  16. If you’ve been south of Indy, you will understand why it’s the south! I have never heard of Zax, but this looks yummy!

    Reply

  18. HARD TO BELEIVE, NO ONE HAS HEARD OF THIS SAUCE BEFORE. CANE S CHICKEN FINGERS, CALL IT HIS SAUCE HE CREADED. THEY BEEN SERVING THIS SAME SAUCE WITH BOILED CRAWFISH FOR I KNOW OVER 40 YEARS. WHOEVER SERVES IT, HAS THIER OWN NAME FOR IT. JOHNNY IN LOUISIANA
    PS. SOME ADD TABASCO SAUCE TO THE SAUCE TO SPICE IT UP.

    Reply

  20. In Ohio we have a newer chain restaurant called Raising Canes that serves this same exact sauce, and they too charge you for it. They even have the same pellet type of ice. It really is a good recipe! Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply

    • This sauce charging business needs to go out the window! Well, it doesn’t matter now because I just make it at home! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  21. Up north we call this “fry sauce” and most restaurants carry a version of it! Glad it’s catching on in the south! When I went south for college, I was flabbergasted that nobody had heard of fry sauce! I hadn’t realized it was a regional thing. 🙂

    Reply

  22. I grew up eating something VERY similar, only with tobasco sauce in place of the black pepper, with crawfish and boiled shrimp. My hubs looked at me like I was nuts when I whisked this up to go with fries. It’s great with everything- fried fish, chicken fingers, fries, shrimp, crawfish. Yum! I just love it! I think it’s been around for awhile, just under different names.

    Reply

  23. I have never ate at Zaxbys but my hubby has and he loves their sauce. So I made your sauce and he absolutely loves it and so does the rest of the family even though we couldn’t compare like he did we still love it. So Thank you for the recipe

    Reply

    • I am so happy that you guys loved it!! Trust me, you don’t even have to try the real Zax sauce when you have this one, they are the same!! Thanks for stopping by to let me know how y’all liked it!!

      Reply

  24. My daughter likes mayo only with her fries, and I like mayo & ketchup…but this sounds like winner! Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply

  25. In my Cajun home we add Tabasco and lemon juice. The only thing I dip boiled shrimp in! And sweet potato fries. It’s fantastic. Been using it all my life and I’m 61. We call it Cajun Sauce.

    Reply

  26. In Utah, this is called pink sauce and it’s served everywhere! Literally! Although I’ve heard that they use vinegar instead but I can be wrong. I’ll have to try this version!

    Reply

      • Have never heard it called pink sauce in Utah. It’s fry sauce. There is a place in Roy, Utah called the Burger Bar. It was featured on Diners,Drive-ins, and Dives. They use Miracle whip. I was disappointed. I guess you have to like Miracle Whip. I don’t. I like the original mayo, ketchup and a little dill pickle juice. I have always heard that it originated at Arctic Circle drive-in. It’s ALWAYS free in Utah.
        When I make Cajun sweet potato fries, i make chipotle fry sauce with ketchup, mayo and a little Bufalo brand chipotle sauces

        Reply

  27. Checking in from Canada. Never heard of Zaxby’s or fry sauce but this sounds great. I love ketchup and mayo with my fries so this recipe should be fantastic.Thanks

    Reply

  29. In Idaho we call it fry sauce and you have ask for it, it isn’t offered, usually. I make it at other fast food joints, or burger joints the mid west just by asking for a couple packets of mayo and mix with ketchup with a straw, if necessary. I don’t have the extra spices, but it is still great.

    Reply

  30. One question….is it Mayo like Hellman’s or Miracle Whip…it would make a difference in the taste!! Anxious to try this!!

    Reply

    • MAYO IS LIKE HELLMANS, OR KRAFT, EVEN A GERNIC BRAND OF A MAYO. I HAVE MADE IT WITH MIRCLE WHIP, AND IT S ALL GOOD.

      Reply

  31. It’s funny hearing so many people mentioning this sauce “finally” catching on in the South! Zaxby’s has been around for at least a decade! I used to work for them. We found out that, in addition to being delicious, Zax sauce will clean a penny!

    If you’re into spicy food, try their nuclear sauce. Insane is hotter, but the heat kills the flavor, so nuclear is the way to go!

    Reply

  32. I just found your recipe on pinterest and can’t wait to try it. As Georgia natives, we love our Zaxby’s sauce, but we now live in the north. My father buys it by the case for us and brings it up!

    Reply

    • That is so nice of your Father! Where in GA did you live? We live right outside atlanta, and I had never even heard of Zaxby’s until I moved here! I hope you like it!

      Reply

  33. It needs a dash of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt with it as well. I used to work for a fast food restaurant in which we made this sauce (of course we could not call it “Zax Sauce”, but it was practically the same thing). Lawry’s will give it that extra flavor it needs. 🙂

    Reply

  35. I made this, and I think I found an extra ingredient. I added about 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, it gives it that little kick 🙂 It also gives you a little bit of customization to your sauce, if you like that sort of thing.

    Reply

  36. Dip your chicken in it! I’m from Minnesota and we have Raising Canes up here and they have this sauce but it’s not just for the fries. The chicken is delicious dipped in it.

    Reply

    • I think at Zaxby’s it’s technically for the chicken, too…since they are a chicken restaurant, but it just so happens we are vegetarians in this house 🙂

      Reply

    • I have tried the recipe several different ways and this was the closest it gets to the real thing. I would suggest greek yogurt over regular yogurt, but it still tastes pretty different with the yogurt substitution.

      Reply

      • I just made some using plain yogurt. It wasn’t quite as good as the first batch I made (with the mayo) but for the fat grams I saved, I don’t feel bad about eating so much of it! LOL

        Reply

  38. I saw this and thought, “Why does this look so familiar?” Finally it clicked that it was just like Raising Cane’s sauce. I’m so excited to try this at home! I’m in Oklahoma, and we just got Cane’s a couple of years ago. I’ve never been to Zaxby’s, because my Atlanta relatives own chicken restaurants (Tanner’s) so I think they’d be offended LOL! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  40. My daughter works at Raising Cane’s here in Houston and THEY the ones who invented it. Same sauce except you add paprika. And they do NOT charge for the sauce down here. Restaurant started in Louisiana close to LSU for the students. I make this sauce all the time, use it for every thing and it lasts almost 2 weeks in closed container in fridge. Not that there is any left, but it’s easy enough to make.

    Reply

  41. I wonder if Zaxby’s Zestable sauce (served with fried mushrooms) is the same but with the addition of horseradish? We LOVE it on chicken. I’m going to try it tonight.

    Reply

  42. My husband and I are from Tennessee and neither of us have heard of Zaxby’s…… but this is fry sauce almost the to drop that my family has been making for generations…… Just like one of the previous posts said… fry sauce…

    Reply

  43. I just (now) came across this recipe for “Zaxby’s Dipping Sauce”. We’re originally from the northern East Coast, but we’re presently residing in the Midwest (due to hubby’s work.) I’m not familiar with Zaxby’s. Nevertheless, this sauce contains ingredients which everyone usually has on hand, and it’s also very simple to make. Everyone is raving about it, so I’ll definitely try it.

    Reply

  44. I like to dip my chicken fingers in it, and also my fries. If there is any left (usually not) I also like dipping my human fingers in it! You know what I mean!

    Reply

  50. 5 stars
    I’ve never been to Zaxby’s, but I need to try this! It looks like a tasty twist on the traditional fry sauce that I make. I bet my family would love it!

    Reply

  63. 5 stars
    Never heard of these Zaxby’s, but this sauce looks aaaaamazing! Definitely going to have to try!

    Reply

  64. 5 stars
    This looks like a delicious alternative to regular fry sauce! Cheaper than buying the bottled and healthier too!

    Reply

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