This Big Mac Sauce copycat recipe is so close to the McDonald's special sauce, you won't be able to taste the difference!
I watched a video of one of McDonald's executive chefs making the Big Mac Sauce and did my best to replicate the ingredient ratios. It took a bit of trial and error, but the taste is spot on!
What is the origin of the Big Mac?
Created by Jim Delligatti 1967, the original Big Mac wasn't actually called a Big Mac. It first went by the 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 advertisements didn't refer to the 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!
Is Big Mac Sauce the same as Thousand Island Dressing?
I spent most of my life believing McDonald's Special Sauce was simply Thousand Island dressing. Big Mac Sauce is not Thousand Island dressing. Thousand Island dressing requires tomatoes, which isn't actually an ingredient in authentic Big Mac Sauce.
For this same reason, I also make my Big Mac Sauce without French dressing. You will find 95% of the Big Mac Sauce recipes on the web call for French dressing. Don't be fooled. Though, I will admit the flavor is in the right ballpark, but, *spoiler alert*, it still tastes like French dressing.
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, so let me break this down into simple ingredients you'll understand. Based on the above ingredient list, you will need sweet pickle relish (not dill pickle relish), mayo, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. That sounds a lot more reasonable, doesn't it?
Make the sauce simply by mixing the ingredients together, then store it in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to meld. You can enjoy it immediately if you are impatient, but letting it meld makes a big difference.
FAQs
Yes! This sauce isn't just great on a McDonalds burger, use it on any homemade burger you are craving. It is even great on thick, gourmet-style, patties.
Store this sauce in an airtight container in your refrigerator. As a mayo-based sauce, it will spoil at room temperature if left outside of the fridge. It will also develop off-flavors if it is not sealed properly. I do not recommend freezing this sauce.
Big Mac sauce is wonderfully creamy, tangy, and sweet. This flavor combination stands cuts through the richness of a fatty burger, making it a perfect burger topping. It is said to taste very similar to Thousand Island dressing, despite not being tomato-based.
How to make a homemade Big Mac
Once you craft your own Special Sauce, you are well on your way to earning your children's undying love and affection by making them homemade Big Macs! You will want to brush up on my fast food burger recipe to really hit these out of the park. Though I have been known to slather this sauce on larger homemade burger patties too!
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 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!
More Ways to Enjoy 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:
- Chicken sandwich - In India Mcdonald's sells a Chicken Maharaja Mac, which is essentially a chicken Big Mac. Use this sauce on your own chicken burger, or even chicken patties.
- Burger bowls - Skip the sesame seed bun and whip of these delicious low-carb creations.
- Salads - This makes a great 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 dip for French fries, onion rings, and steak fries
- Potato Salad - This would add an exciting twist to any potato salad!
More Burger Condiments
Looking for more great toppings to craft the perfect burger? Try these ideas:
Big Mac Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place all ingredients together in a 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.
Ricardo
I follow the instructions but mine always taste like thousand islands. Like the vinegar flavor is to strong what am I doing wrong. I also added a little ketchup and accent/msg. I don't know if is the Mayo maybe? I used 1 cup from those key chains measuring cups I filled it with mayo ( the 1 cup obviously ) unused the brand Hellman's real Mayo, great value yellow mustard....help?
Susana Ostrowski
Hello,
I'm excited to try this recipe!
Have you tried experimenting with using just distilled vinegar instead of white wine vinegar? Do you think it would alter the taste a lot?
thank you for your time!
Fox Valley Foodie
It would have a sharper flavor, but still taste good.
Amy
I didn’t realise we were out of onion powder. I made it anyway but I want to add it later. Is that alright? It’s sitting in the fridge and I am going to the store tomorrow. I tasted it and it was really delicious, so similar to the real thing!
Fox Valley Foodie
Yes, that will be just fine.
JayZee
Finally! You nailed it! Until now, no one has come close... Thank you!
Kyle Anne
I found a Big Mac Salad recipe I wanted to try but didn't have all the ingredients for the dressing so looked for a recipe that fit the ingredients I had. This was it and it's AWESOME!! My husband loved it!!! A few days later we had a Big Mac and both agreed the salad with this sauce tops it, no question!! Thank you!!
michael sadlak
Add about 1/4 tsp of accent/msg to this and it's perfect. That's the reason why this doesn't taste exact. McDonald's will never tell you that they add MSG to it, that's just listed as spices in their recipe along with the others.
kathy
I make my own mayo (bit of garlic and dash of sugar) with my own chicken egg yolks, and THEN make this sauce. goes on all my sandwiches. it is num num....
vicki
great recipe. just a little less mustard. any idea how many carbs or servings?
Desiree
We can't believe how much this tastes EXACTLY like Big Mac sauce. We have made this a few times now, (using vegan mayo and I keep forgetting to buy white wine vinegar so have used apple cider vinegar). Oh and also using veggie burgers. But wow, the sauce is amazing! It is true, let it sit overnight and it will have just the right colour and flavour. Thank you for sharing this recipe! From an appreciative Canadian family 🙂
Cheryl Willaman
This was good, and whenever I have gotten a big mac, I say no sauce, or extra piece of bread. used to make my dad so impatient waiting. well, extra bread can go to dogs or ducks now but I don't go to mcds much. but this recipe I can do, but I like spice so I did add cayenne along with the paprika for burgers tonight. husband knows how to cook a good burger! and I really don't prefer red meat but I bought and sounded good. probably sriracha on mine, forgot. honestly, I like a1 and yellow mustard on my burgers. and always pickle. and white cheese, just not swiss. guess I am a little picky, eh? lol. 😂
Kris
Loved this. Did take the mustard down to 1 tsp, and added a heaping Tbsp of ketchup, fam loved it, and will definitely make again, thank you!
Dee
By mayo do you mean Hellman’s or Miracle Whip?
Fox Valley Foodie
Hellman's is mayo, however, Miracle Whip is not. Miracle Whip contains less oil than required to be called mayo and also has additional seasonings that alter the flavor further.
peter
can i use bramson pickle relish for sweet pickle relish (it has a more redish colour)
Fox Valley Foodie
I am not familiar with that type of pickle relish. The flavor matters more than the color, so if it has a sweet flavor you should be good to go.
Simba
You nailed it...Best recipient out there 👌🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾
Chris
This recipe is so good and I mostly followed it except I had to use the rice wine vinegar. And I increased the paprika to get a Pinker color. My husband tasted it and said it tastes the same; we're going to makes big macs with beyond meat burgers when my daughter visits tomorrow . She will be the judge because that's her fav food 😊 thank you
Marie
My hubby is a big Big Mac fan so I made this for him. Great recipe! It has just the right amount of tang and sweetness and topped off our homemade Big Macs perfectly.
Colin
Do you know if I can use honey mustard instead
Fox Valley Foodie
No, that would not work as a substitution.
Jerrie
Do you know if this is the same sauce they put on the new burger from Spain? We loved it and are trying to make it at home. I mixed mayo, spicy sauce and a little ketchup but it's missing something. Thanks!
Fox Valley Foodie
I don't, and I have wondered if Big Mac Sauce is different overseas than in America. Perhaps a traveler can chime in if they know the answer.
Kam
As an American living in Germany, it tastes the same. It's mostly the meat quality and oils that vary.
Fox Valley Foodie
Thanks!
Desiree
I know that McDonalds in the UK uses different mustard. It's kind of spicy compared to North American prepared mustard. Maybe that's why it tastes different?
Jason
This is MONEY! I tried it after only sitting for 2 hours but it's as close as you're going to get making this from home. I did add some course ground black pepper to mine but we all just love it. Thanks for sharing this with all of us!! Props!
Kim
This sauce is awesome! Also tastes great on tacos.
Kurt Holzmuller
I have been trying to find a good copycat recipe for this sauce for a long time. I made this sauce last night for a "Big Mac cheeseburger salad" recipe I have. This sauce was fabulous and I will make it again and again. I also am enjoying the new Beyond Beef and will use this sauce when making burgers. Thanks for posting this and figuring it all out for us.