McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

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This copycat Big Mac Sauce recipe is so close to the McDonald's special sauce, you won't be able to taste the difference! Use it to recreate your own homemade Big Macs, or as a topping and sauce for your favorite foods.

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (1)

What is it?

Big Mac Sauce has wonderfully creamy, tangy, and sweet. This flavor combination stands cuts through the richness of a fatty cheeseburger, making it a perfect burger topping. It is said to taste very similar to Thousand Island dressing, despite not being tomato-based.

Created by Jim Delligatti 1967, the original Big Mac wasn't actually called a Big Mac. It first went by different names - "The Aristocrat" and the "Blue Ribbon Burger", neither of which caught on with customers. The third name, "Big Mac" was created by Esther Glickstein Rose, a young corporate McDonald's employee. This sandwich went on to worldwide fame, popularizing the iconic special sauce.

The earliest McDonald's advertisem*nts didn't refer to Big Mac Sauce as we now know it, but rather, called it "secret sauce". However, in 1974 a new advertising campaign came up with the famous jingle "Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions – on a sesame seed bun." It has been known as "special sauce" ever since!

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (2)

What are the Ingredients?

How do I know there are no tomatoes in McDonald's Special Sauce? Because,I looked up the ingredient list. This is what is in McDonald's Big Mac Sauce:

Soybean Oil, Pickle Relish (Diced Pickles, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Spice Extractives, Polysorbate 80), Distilled Vinegar, Water, Egg Yolks, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Onion Powder, Mustard Seed, Salt, Spices, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Mustard Bran, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Vegetable Protein (Hydrolyzed Corn, Soy and Wheat), Caramel Colour, Extractives of Paprika, Soy Lecithin, Turmeric (Colour), Calcium Disodium EDTA (Protect Flavour)

How to make it

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you don't have a pantry full of preservatives and chemical binders, and neither does your grocery store. So let me break this down into simple ingredients you'll understand. Based on McDonald's ingredient list, you will need sweet relish (not dill pickle relish), mayo, vinegar, American yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to make homemade Big Mac sauce. That sounds a lot more reasonable, doesn't it?

Make this famous sauce simply by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl, then store it in the refrigerator overnight in an airtight container to allow the flavors to meld. You can enjoy it immediately if you are impatient, but letting it meld makes a big difference.

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (3)

FAQs

How should I store it?

Store your homemade sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As a mayo-based sauce, Big Mac sauce will spoil at room temperature if left outside of the fridge. It will also develop off-flavors if it is not sealed properly in a covered container. I do not recommend freezing it. For best flavor, any leftover sauce will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Is Big Mac Sauce the same as Thousand Island Dressing?

Big Mac Sauce is not Thousand Island dressing. Thousand Island dressing requires tomatoes, which aren't an ingredient in authentic Big Mac Sauce.

For this same reason, I firmly believe the bestBig Mac Sauce recipe you'll find will always exclude French dressing. Unfortunately, it seems 95% of the Big Mac Sauce recipes on the web call for French dressing but don't be fooled. Although I will admit the flavor is in the right ballpark as the real thing, *spoiler alert*, it still tastes like French dressing.

How to Use This Sauce

Serving McDonald's Special Sauce on savory homemade burgers isn't the only way it can be enjoyed. Try these new ideas as well:

  • Homemade Big Macs - To make McDonald's Big Mac, lightly toast a sesame seed bun, and grab an extra bottom bun to use as the middle piece. Spread the special sauce on the bottom bun, sprinkle with diced onion, shredded lettuce, and top with a slice of American cheese. Place one thin burger patty on the cheese, then add the middle bun, top with more sauce, lettuce, and add pickles. Finally add the second burger patty, top with the crown of the bun and enjoy!
  • Chicken sandwich - In India, Mcdonald's sells a Chicken Maharaja Mac, which is essentially a chicken Big Mac. Use this creamy condiment on your own chicken burger, or even chicken patties.
  • Burger bowls - Skip the sesame seed bun, this condiment is a great way to whip up some delicious low-carb creations.
  • Salads - This makes a delicious salad dressing to enjoy your own Big Mac Salad.
  • Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes - These sloppy Joes are great without sauce, but can certainly be enjoyed with it as well!
  • Fries - Use this as a dipping sauce for French fries, onion rings, and steak fries
  • Potato Salad - This is the perfect sauce to add an exciting twist to any potato salad!

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (4)

Big Mac Sauce

This Big Mac Sauce copycat recipe is so close to the McDonald's special sauce, you won't be able to taste the difference!

4.92 from 161 votes

Print Pin Rate Save

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Fox Valley Foodie

Equipment

  • Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Mayo
  • ¼ cup Sweet Pickle Relish
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Prepared Yellow Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

  • Can be enjoyed immediately, but the flavor is best when allowed to sit in the refrigerator overnight. Store in an air-tight container.

Video

Notes

IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE you need to check out my McDonald's Egg McMuffin copycat recipe too!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the mcdonalds Big Mac sauce made of? ›

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, ...

Is Big Mac sauce just thousand island? ›

The answer is no… but they are similar. Both of the condiments have a creamy consistency and include pickle relish. But, McDonald's Big Mac Sauce includes vinegar and has a bit more pickle relish in it than Thousand Island dressing.

What is the secret to Big Mac sauce according to a former McDonald's chef? ›

According to Haracz, it all begins with one cup of mayonnaise. He specifically said he uses Hellmann's but that you can "use what you want" for your Big Mac Sauce. Next, he adds a quarter cup of sweet pickle relish, followed by two tablespoons of Dusseldorf Mustard and one teaspoon of white wine vinegar.

Why is Big Mac sauce so good? ›

The reason Big Mac sauce is such a hit is because it's unique. A lot of restaurants have “special sauces,” but few are as beloved as Big Mac sauce. It's the perfect blend of creamy, acidic, savory, and slightly sweet that compliments the rest of the burger incredibly well.

What sauce is closest to Big Mac sauce? ›

The chef revealed that Walmart's Great Value Secret Sauce will deliver the most accurate version of Big Mac sauce outside of a McDonald's.

Will McDonald's sell Big Mac sauce? ›

Available in restaurant, in Drive-Thru, via the My McDonald's App, and also via McDelivery, now is the time to try Big Mac® Special Sauce with any McDonald's menu items whether that's Chicken McNuggets, Veggie Dippers... or perhaps a Big MacFlurry…?

What year did McDonald's change the Big Mac sauce? ›

In 2018, McDonald's revamped the sauce by removing potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and calcium disodium EDTA.

Can you order Big Mac sauce by itself? ›

On April 19, McDonald's announced that its Big Mac sauce — also known as “special sauce” like in the famous jingle — will finally be available as its own item, in dip cups. The news comes shortly after the chain announced “small but tasty improvements” to its burger recipe.

Can you buy Big Mac sauce separately? ›

And the sauce has become a thing in its own right. It became a social media craze when McDonald's gave away 10,000 bottles in the U.S. back in 2017. Creamy, tangy, slightly sweet and perfectly dippable, as McDonald's describes it, the Big Mac sauce can be ordered a la carte, apart from the McNuggets deal.

What is the Big Mac sauce dupe at the retail chain? ›

But ultimately, he made his decision. “The one that best replicated Big Mac sauce from McDonald's that you should go buy if you want it is… Great Value Secret Sauce,” he says, holding up a bottle of Walmart-brand liquid gold. “Look at the ingredients statement — it's almost identical,” Haracz adds.

What is the rarest McDonald sauce? ›

For example, if you happen to have a pack of McDonald's Szechuan Sauce from the restaurant's 1998 promotion of the Disney movie "Mulan," you could be looking at a five-figure payday similar to Bank's. In 2017, Time Magazine reported that a packet of the 30-plus-year-old dipping sauce sold on eBay for $14,700.

What is the McDonald's sauce controversy? ›

McDonald's was accused of limiting sauces and charging for extra condiments after a sign stating how many sachets are available per order appeared at a drive-thru. The restaurant chain appears to be limiting sauces for customers who buy chicken nuggets, with a maximum of eight sachets available per serving.

What is the most ordered sauce at McDonald's? ›

What Is the Most Popular Dipping Sauce at McDonald's?
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce. A perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors, making it a favorite for chicken nuggets and more. ...
  • Barbecue Sauce. ...
  • Hot Mustard Sauce. ...
  • Honey Mustard Sauce. ...
  • Spicy Buffalo Sauce. ...
  • Ranch Sauce. ...
  • Sriracha Mac Sauce. ...
  • Sweet Chili Sauce.

What is Big Mac special sauce made of? ›

Also known as the 'Secret Sauce,' McDonald's Big Mac sauce consists of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and Thousand Island dressing. This sauce is the signature sweet and tangy element in the iconic Big Mac Burgers. It's actually one of the easiest sauces to make at home!

What is the difference between Big Boy sauce and Big Mac sauce? ›

The secret sauce at Big Boy was always different: it's mostly mayonnaise with a mixture of pickle relish, while the Big Mac secret sauce is a mixture of mayonnaise, French salad dressing, and spices.

Is Big Mac sauce just burger sauce? ›

Also known as the 'Secret Sauce,' McDonald's Big Mac sauce consists of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and Thousand Island dressing. This sauce is the signature sweet and tangy element in the iconic Big Mac Burgers.

Does Big Mac sauce taste like mayo? ›

While both are mayonnaise-based sauces, Big Mac sauce has a much more distinct flavor and is typically tangier because of the addition of ketchup and mustard. Some copycat recipes also use French dressing to mimic the original formula.

What does Big Mac special sauce taste like? ›

So what's so special about this sauce? It's basically just thousand island dressing, right? Pretty much. But this sauce has a bit more sweet pickle relish in it than a typical thousand island salad slather.

What is Chef Dan Coudreaut's Big Mac sauce? ›

In the video, Coudreaut mixed together mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, “classic yellow mustard,” white wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, though he did not provide specific quantities of each ingredient. Haracz, in a 2022 TikTok video, was much more detailed.

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