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Oh my goodness, friends, let’s talk about the one thing that takes a good burger and makes it legendary: the sauce! This Ultimate Smash Burger Sauce recipe is that perfect, creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet “secret sauce” you crave from your favorite diner or burger joint. It’s the key to making your homemade hamburgers taste truly professional. It’s so fast to whip up, you can make it any night of the week while your burgers are sizzling. This homemade sauce is pure comfort, and because you make it yourself, you know exactly what’s in it.

Serving Versatility

This is one of the most versatile homemade sauce recipes you can have in your fridge! It’s not just for homemade hamburgers. It’s an incredible dip for french fries or tater tots, a zesty sauce for a fried chicken sandwich, or you can even thin it out with a little water to make an amazing “burger salad” dressing.

Full Recipe Section

Easy 5-Minute Smash Burger Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 0 minutes (plus 30 mins chill time) Total time: 35 minutes Servings: Makes ~1 cup (enough for 6-8 burgers) Calories: Approximately 90 kcal per tablespoon

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (use a good quality, full fat one)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle relish, and yellow mustard.
2. Season: Sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Whisk: Whisk everything together until it’s smooth, creamy, and a beautiful pale pinkish-orange color.
4. Chill: This is the most important step! Cover the bowl and let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This allows all the flavors to meld together perfectly.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 5 Minute Prep: It literally takes 5 minutes to whisk these pantry staples together.
• Budget Friendly: Cheaper and so much more delicious than any store bought burger sauce.
• Iconic Burger Joint Flavor: This is that flavor. It’s the perfect copycat Mac Sauce recipe that everyone will recognize and love.
• Better Than Store-Bought: You control the ingredients, with no weird preservatives or high fructose corn syrup (if your ketchup is clean!).
• Make it Yours: Love it spicier? Add a dash of cayenne pepper. Love it smokier? Use chipotle powder instead of paprika.

Cultural or Cooking Technique Note

This style of sauce is a classic American invention, known regionally as “fry sauce” (popular in Utah) or simply “secret sauce.” It’s a close cousin to Thousand Island dressing and became iconic through fast food chains in the 1960s and 70s. The “technique” here isn’t in the cooking, but in the melding. Letting the sauce rest in the fridge is essential. The acids from the vinegar and relish cut through the fat of the mayonnaise, and the dried spices rehydrate and infuse the entire sauce.

Serving Suggestions

1. On Smash Burgers: The ultimate use! Slather it on both the top and bottom bun of your homemade hamburgers.
2. As a Dip: Serve it in a bowl as a zesty sauce for french fries, onion rings, or chicken tenders.
3. Reuben Sandwich: It’s a fantastic substitute for Russian or Thousand Island dressing on a Reuben.
4. On a “Burger Bowl”: Drizzle it over a low carb bowl of ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and pickles.

Pro Tips for Success

• Patience is Key: I know it’s hard to wait, but please let it chill for 30 minutes. An hour is even better. The flavor difference is huge.
• Relish Choice: I strongly recommend dill pickle relish, not sweet relish. That tangy, zesty flavor is what makes it a classic smash burger sauce.
• Go Full Fat: Use a good quality, full-fat mayonnaise for the best creamy texture and rich flavor.
• Taste and Adjust: Before you chill it, give it a taste. Does it need a tiny bit more salt? A little more tang? Adjust it to your preference.

Storage & Reheating

• Storage: Store this sauce in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and delicious for up to one week.
• Reheating: No reheating needed! This sauce is meant to be served chilled or at room temperature.

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This Smash Burger Sauce recipe is a total game changer and will make your next burger night an absolute smash hit! It’s so simple, so fast, and adds that “wow” factor that everyone will be talking about. Go ahead and make a batch, I promise you’ll be putting this zesty sauce on everything. If you try it, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing how it turned out for you!

🎀 Final Thoughts

This is, hands down, one of my most-requested recipes when friends come over for a BBQ. They always ask, “What is this sauce?!” It’s so simple, it feels like cheating, but it makes homemade burgers feel so special and cozy. I always make a double batch because my family will use it on their fries, their salads… pretty much everything!