Homemade Big Mac Sauce is sweet, tangy and full of flavor. This simple McDonald's copycat recipe is creamy and delicious with hardly any effort. It's everything you'd expect from a "special" sauce and will make your homemade burgers spectacular.
Raise your hand if you remember the Big Mac jingle "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun." McDonald's signature sandwich was a favorite across the country, and the special sauce took this burger to a new level of deliciousness.
Like me, you may be trying to cut fast food out of your diet and that's so much easier to do when you can duplicate some of your favorites at home. Homemade Big Mac sauce is a big hit in my house and your family will love this secret sauce too.
Add yummy Big Mac sauce to burgers and salads or use it as a fry sauce. No matter where your pour it, this famous sauce is sure to be everyone's favorite.
What is Big Mac Sauce?
Big Mac sauce, known as "special sauce," was one of the signature touches that made McDonald's Big Mac sandwich stand out above other fast food establishments.
This homemade version is a close copy of everyone's favorite restaurant burger condiment and is made with just a handful of pantry ingredients found at any grocery store. It may be even better than the real thing.
CopyCat Big Mac Sauce Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite brand of mayo. You can substitute light mayo or Miracle Whip, but it will alter the flavor.
- Sweet Pickle Relish – A sweet relish will give you the most authentic flavor. You can substitute a dill pickle relish but it will not be quite the same as the McDonald's Big Mac sauce recipe.
- White Vinegar – You can substitute apple cider vinegar if needed.
- Mustard – Use regular yellow mustard.
- Seasonings – add onion powder, garlic powder and sweet paprika for the right balance of flavor.
See recipe card for complete ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
Hint: The flavor of this sauce will develop with time. Make it several hours in advance for the best flavor.
Substitutions / Variations
- Lighter Sauce – Replace the mayonnaise with a light mayo or Greek yogurt.
- Mustard – Instead of yellow mustard, try using dijon mustard.
- Spicy – Add a splash of sriracha or a dash of cayenne pepper. This is a great way to give this homemade Bic Mac Sauce a spicy kick.
Storage
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing this big mac sauce copycat recipe is not recommended but it's easy enough to mix together these simple ingredients to make this homemade sauce anytime.
Top tip
A mason jar or glass jar works well to store this sauce. You can also reuse a clean condiment container for easy storage and serving.
FAQ
While similar, Thousand Island dressing usually incorporates ketchup as a main ingredient. This Big Mac Sauce is made without ketchup and without French dressing. Thousand island dressing usually contains either of those ingredients.
You can store this creamy condiment in the fridge for about a week.
Big Macs are famous for their extra burger patty, third bun and special sauce. To make one at home begin by lightly toasting a sesame seed bun plus an extra bottom bun. Slather the bottom and top buns with homemade Big Mac sauce then layer white diced onions, lettuce, American cheese and a burger patty. Next, add the second bottom bun, more sauce, lettuce, pickles, the second burger patty and finish with the top bun.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade Big Mac sauce is perfect for slathering on the perfect burger but don't stop there. It's the perfect dipping sauce for chips, pan fried chicken tenders, fries and onion rings and also makes a delicious salad dressing for a big mac salad. Use it for these recipes too!
More Sauces and Dressings
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- The Best Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Homemade Bang Bang Sauce
- Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing (No Anchovies)
- Easy Chimichurri Sauce from Simply Whisked
- Easy Buffalo Wing Sauce
If you like this homemade McDonald's burger sauce recipe, please leave a 5-star rating below.
RECIPE
Homemade Big Mac Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Enjoy on burgers and sandwiches or use as a dipping sauce for fries, onion rings or anything you like.
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Subscribe to Jersey Girl Cooks if you would like more recipes and cooking tips sent to your email. You can also order my Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners and follow me on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Lima Ekram
OMG I LOVE Big Mac sauce and I cant wait to try this!
Katherine
So good to be able to make homemade Big Mac sauce right at home!
justine
Used this for mini sliders and they were a super hit with the kids!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can't wait to try it soon!
Vicky Perreault
I love that we can make this sauce at home. Anything that keeps us from ordering fast food is a win. I bet this sauce takes normal burgers over the top!
lisa
Vicky,
It sure does elevate burgers, sandwiches and more!
Enjoy!
Lisa
Elaine
I haven't had a big mac in ages but I wanted the sauce. I'm really glad I found this recipe! Delicious and easy.
Loreto Nardelli
The BigMac holds a denial place in my heart. My mom used to delivery me lunch when I was in junior high. Everyone would make fun of me, but I saw that they were envious as I bit into that Big Mac, as they looked down at their bologna sandwich. Love the copy cat version of that ever unforgettable Big Mac Sauce. Thanks for sharing!! ❤️ 😍 💖
lisa
Loreto,
I'd take a Big mac over bologna sandwich everyday!! hehe
Lisa
Jamie
Wow! This is such a great sauce recipe! It looks amazingly delicious and very tasty! Plus we all love Mcdonalds this is definitely great! I can't wait to create this at home for the family! Loved it!
Amy Liu Dong
Wow, thanks for sharing this now I don’t need to go to the store to buy big mac sauce!
Mikayla
Oh my, delicious. I used it on my BLTA sandwich and wow, it made so much better than usual!
Carrie Robinson
Big Mac sauce is always so good! I love that I can use your recipe to make it at home now. Can't wait to try this out soon! 🙂
silvia
My kind of recipe, easy to make, very flavorful and delicious. My kids were amazed when I serve it with their favorite burgers and fries.
Erin
I've never had a Big Mac, but I'd love to see what the fuss is about! I've got to try this soon. It sounds so easy, too!
Hayley Dhanecha
Love this big mac sauce recipe, such a flavourful and so easy to make. Can't wait to make it again.
Enriqueta E Lemoine
Best copycat ever! You nailed it with this recipe! Can you please make the animal fires sauce from In and Out in California?