The Best Burger Sauce Recipe Ever.
Some call it special sauce or special burger sauce, but we call it DARN GOOD! This sauce is going to be your new secret weapon for the best burger of all time. The smokiness from the smoked paprika, sweetness from ketchup, and a little surprise from pickle juice and fresh lime are what make this sauce, the boss! This incredibly flavorful condiment will come in handy when you only have a second to spare. Do yourself a favor and bookmark this now to save yourself the trouble of googling “good burger sauce” in the future!
What is Burger Sauce Made Of?
This homemade burger sauce is easy, versatile, and we bet you’ll already have all the ingredients on hand! A really good secret sauce recipe always starts with mayo. It’s creamy, rich, and a great canvas for letting the spice's flavor shine through. If we have time, we like to make it with our Homemade Mayonnaise recipe; if not, good quality store-bought will do!
Our burger sauce ingredients consist of:
Ketchup, because what’s a burger without ketchup?
Garlic powder… one of our favorite special ingredients!
Pickle juice *the* secret ingredient in the secret sauce!
Dried dill, or feel free to use fresh if you have it on hand!
Freshly squeezed lime juice cuts through the mayo for brightness.
Smoked paprika reinforces that right off the grill taste.
Cayenne pepper, feel free to adjust to your liking!
Ground mustard, for a powerful punch of flavor!
Make it your own by adding relish, pickled jalapeño, or a squeeze of yellow or dijon mustard!
How to Use Burger Sauce
Of course, on our Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce….but what else? May we suggest swapping out the sauce on our juicy Salmon Burgers or Black Bean Burgers? We also think it gives Big Mac Sauce a run for its money! Although we’re BIG burger fans over here, we also think it would go great on a Patty Melt, BLT, alongside our crispy Homemade Fries, Baked Pecan Chicken Tenders, or even as a swap for dressing on Reuben Sliders! What we’re trying to say is any appetizer begs to accompany burger sauce…*hint hint* fried pickles!
Classic Toppings for the Perfect Burger
So, you’re making burgers and wondering what else to top them with - fear not, we’ve had MANY burgers in our lifetime and we’re here to help you create your best one yet! Some classic toppings we like to add:
Crunchy: Lettuce such as Romaine or Little Gem, Raw White Onions, Tomatoes
Salty: Cheese such as American, Cheddar, or a pungent Blue
Unami: Did someone say Bacon? Or maybe a few Mushrooms? Use our stellar recipes for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven or How to Dry Sauté Mushrooms!
Sweet: Caramelized Onions!
BURGER SAUCE: comparable to Big Mac Sauce and In and Out, or switch it up and use our Homemade BBQ Sauce.
How to Make Homemade Burger Sauce
We’re not exaggerating when we say it’ll take you less than two minutes and only one bowl to make…and that’s why we love it!
Mix! Prep all your ingredients before and add them all into a bowl. Pro Tip: if you have a kiddo, this would be the perfect time to involve them! You add the ingredients, and they can mix!
Store and Chill! You can use the burger sauce, or secret sauce, right away. The longer you store it, the better the flavors will be as they develop and marry together! It’ll keep in an airtight container for up to one week….but we doubt it’ll last that long!
Tools You’ll Need For Easy Burger Sauce
The Perfect BBQ Starts NOW
Excited to have a summer BBQ but unsure of where to start? We’ve got you covered with this simple list of go-to picnic crowd pleasers:
The Secret’s Out: We’ve Got The (Secret) Sauce!
Don’t forget this classic burger sauce at your next backyard BBQ! Show us your slather and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
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