Good Burger Sauce Recipe

This good burger sauce recipe was born out of necessity one evening after I hastily decided to make burgers for tea after a long day at work.

I had made the burgers and they were cooking away beautifully on the griddle. The brioche buns were in the oven toasting nicely, and then I opened the fridge to grab some sauce.

Guess what?

There wasn’t any.

To make matters worse, I did not have enough time to head to the shops to grab some. Nor, to be honest, could I really be bothered to leave the house again.

The only sauces we had in the fridge were half a jar of mayo and some ketchup, which got me thinking.

So I did a brief bit of Googling while the burgers finished cooking, chucked mayo and ketchup together with a few other tasty bits, and Bob’s your uncle, we had sauce.

A proper burger sauce too. It tasted great, which was a little bit of a surprise.

So if, like me, you find yourself out of sauce, or you just want to start making your own homemade burger sauce, this simple recipe is a great place to start.

What Makes a Good Burger Sauce?

A good burger sauce should be creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, a little sharp, and properly savoury.

The classic base is mayonnaise and ketchup, then you add a few extras to balance it out. In this recipe, brown sugar adds sweetness, malt vinegar adds sharpness, black pepper adds warmth, and salt brings everything together.

It is simple, but it works.

What Is Burger Sauce Made Of?

Burger sauce is usually made from a mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup.

From there, you can add different seasonings and flavourings depending on the style you want.

Common burger sauce ingredients include:

• mayonnaise
• ketchup
• mustard
• vinegar
• sugar
• salt
• black pepper
• paprika
• garlic powder
• pickle juice or chopped gherkins

This version keeps things very simple and uses ingredients you are likely to already have in the cupboard or fridge.

Good Burger Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp malt vinegar
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

How to Make Good Burger Sauce

1. Add the mayonnaise and ketchup to a bowl.
2. Add the brown sugar, malt vinegar, coarse black pepper and salt.
3. Mix everything together until smooth.
4. Taste and adjust if needed.
5. Pop a dollop on your burger. Job done.

Can You Make Burger Sauce Ahead of Time?

Yes, and it is actually better if you do.

You can use this burger sauce straight away, but if you make it 30 minutes to an hour ahead, the flavours have more time to come together.

Just cover it and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

How Long Does Homemade Burger Sauce Last?

Homemade burger sauce should be kept covered in the fridge.

As a general rule, use it within a few days and always follow the use-by dates of the mayonnaise and ketchup you used to make it.

If it smells odd, looks split, or you are unsure how long it has been in the fridge, do not risk it.

What Sauce Goes with Burgers?

Classic burger sauce is hard to beat, but there are plenty of sauces that work well with burgers.

Good burger sauce options include:

• burger sauce
• BBQ sauce
• tomato ketchup
• mayonnaise
• mustard
• blue cheese sauce
• spicy mayo
• sweet chilli sauce
• caramelised onion chutney
• burger relish
• bacon jam

But if you want that classic creamy burger sauce flavour, mayo and ketchup is the place to start.

How to Make Spicy Burger Sauce

If you want to turn this into a spicy burger sauce, add a little heat.

You could add:

• a pinch of chilli powder
• a few drops of hot sauce
• a little smoked paprika
• cayenne pepper
• finely chopped jalapeños

Start small, mix, taste, then add more if needed. You can always add more heat, but you can’t easily take it back out.

Can You Add Pickles or Gherkins?

Yes, chopped gherkins or pickle juice work really well in burger sauce.

If you like a sharper, more burger-van style sauce, add a teaspoon of pickle juice or some finely chopped gherkin.

This gives the sauce extra tang and works especially well with beef burgers, cheese and bacon.

What Burgers Should You Use It On?

This good burger sauce works with most burgers.

It is especially good on:

• beef burgers
• cheeseburgers
• bacon cheeseburgers
• chicken burgers
• turkey burgers
• homemade burger patties
• BBQ burgers

For proper homemade burgers, have a look at our guide on how to make a burger patty.

How to Build a Better Burger

A good burger sauce helps, but the rest of the burger matters too.

Start with a good burger patty, toast the bun, add cheese if you want it, then layer up your sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon or whatever else you fancy.

If you’re adding bacon, our guide on how to cook bacon will help you get it right.

Browse our beef range, BBQ essentials collection or 85% British beef mince if you are planning a proper burger night.

Tips for Better Burger Sauce

• Use proper mayonnaise as the base.
• Add vinegar for sharpness.
• Add a little sugar to balance the tang.
• Use coarse black pepper for warmth.
• Let the sauce sit in the fridge before serving if you have time.
• Add chilli powder or hot sauce if you want it spicy.
• Add chopped gherkins or pickle juice if you want more tang.

Final Thoughts

A good burger sauce recipe does not need to be complicated.

Mayonnaise, ketchup, brown sugar, malt vinegar, black pepper and salt are enough to make a proper homemade burger sauce in minutes.

It is creamy, tangy, slightly sweet and ideal for burgers, cheeseburgers, chicken burgers, bacon burgers, BBQs and fakeaway nights at home.

Once you have made your own, it is hard to go back to scraping the last sad bit of sauce from a bottle in the fridge.

FAQs

What is a good burger sauce recipe?

A good burger sauce recipe uses mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to create a creamy, tangy sauce for burgers.

What is burger sauce made of?

Burger sauce is usually made from mayonnaise and ketchup, with extra flavour from vinegar, sugar, seasoning, mustard, paprika or pickles.

How do you make homemade burger sauce?

Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, brown sugar, malt vinegar, coarse black pepper and salt together in a bowl until smooth.

Can you make burger sauce without mustard?

Yes, this recipe does not use mustard. It gets its tang from malt vinegar instead.

Can you make spicy burger sauce?

Yes, add chilli powder, hot sauce, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños to make a spicy burger sauce.

How long does homemade burger sauce last?

Keep homemade burger sauce covered in the fridge and use within a few days. Always follow the use-by dates of the ingredients used.

What does burger sauce go with?

Burger sauce goes with beef burgers, cheeseburgers, bacon burgers, chicken burgers, turkey burgers, chips, wedges and BBQ food.