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The best part of the McDonald’s Big Mac is the sauce – and now you can make it at home with this copycat Big Mac Sauce recipe! I love how it tastes exactly like it without all of the additives and preservatives. You’ll love how creamy, savory, and so simple it is to make!
Watch the Big Mac Sauce Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- paprika: this is what gives the Big Mac Sauce its red color (contrary to popular option, it is NOT ketchup! There is no tomato paste in Big Mac Sauce)
- turmeric: this gives the sauce a slightly golden yellow color (contrary to popular option, it is NOT mustard!)
- ground mustard: it’s ground mustard, not prepared yellow mustard, that gets the best results when making Big Mac sauce, similar to In-N-Out Sauce!
- mayo: I highly recommend using Best Food’s or Hellman’s, as I had the best results with these two brands (also in my Hawaiian Mac Salad!)
- sugar + sweet relish: Big Mac sauce’s signature is how it is sweet and tangy; this recipe adds sweetness in the form of sugar but also sweet relish
Key Tip
McDonald’s Ingredient List
McDonald’s publishes the ingredient list for their Big Mac sauce online (see below), so I’ve tested various versions of this based on their list!
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.
The best part of my recipe is that there are no preservatives or additives! That’s why I love making homemade sauces, like Ranch, Raising Cane’s Sauce, Chick Fil A Sauce, Tonkatsu Sauce, BBQ sauce, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, and more!
How to Make Big Mac Sauce
1. Mix Vinegar, Sugar, Ground Mustard, and Salt
In a small mixing bowl, mix together distilled white vinegar, sugar, ground mustard, and salt. I recommend doing this first, as these ingredients are the most susceptible to clumping. This helps esure they are properly dispersed throughout the mayo when mixing.
2. Add the Remaining Ingredients
To the same bowl, add the remaining ingredients (mayonnaise, relish, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and tumeric). Mix together and let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve it with your favorite Smash Burgers or even as a dip for Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Chicken Tenders! I also love it for wings, like Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Baked Chicken Wings, or Grilled Chicken Wings!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Expert Tips + Storage
- You’ll notice that I recommend whisking the sugar, ground mustard and salt into the vinegear until dissolved first – this ensures they are properly dispersed throughout the mayonnaise when mixing. These are the most suseptible to clumping, so I like to dissolve them into the vinegar first.
- Big Mac sauce will taste better as the flavors meld together! Let it sit for at least 10 minutes but as long as possible (covered, in the refrigerator) for the best results.
- You can store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Do not leave it outside in room temperature – it will spoil!
- Make sure to use a clean utensil every time to avoid contamination.
If you tried this Big Mac Sauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Big Mac Sauce (Perfect Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup mayonnaise, use best foods/hellmann’s
- 2 tbsp sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ tsp tumeric
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together distilled white vinegar, sugar, ground mustard, and salt . Mix well until the sugar, mustard, and salt have dissolved.
- To the same bowl, add mayonnaise, relish, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and tumeric. Mix together and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You’ll notice that I recommend whisking the sugar, ground mustard and salt into the vinegear until dissolved first – this ensures they are properly dispersed throughout the mayonnaise when mixing. These are the most suseptible to clumping, so I like to dissolve them into the vinegar first.
- Big Mac sauce will taste better as the flavors meld together! Let it sit for at least 10 minutes but as long as possible (covered, in the refrigerator) for the best results.
- You can store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Do not leave it outside in room temperature – it will spoil!
- Make sure to use a clean utensil every time to avoid contamination.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
