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Special Sauce

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sauces & condiments•american•vegetarian, gluten-free
30 minutes•about 1 cup•

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
Special sauce

Instructions

  1. 1.

    In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, distilled white vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and evenly colored, 1–2 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Cover and refrigerate 20–30 minutes to let flavors meld and the dried spices hydrate; the sauce will thicken slightly and the raw spice aroma will soften.

  3. 3.

    Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed, then use as a spread or dipping sauce.

  4. 4.

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Special sauce is the tangy, creamy pink condiment that brings burgers, fries, and sandwiches to life. It balances richness from mayonnaise with bright acidity, gentle sweetness, and a hint of spice. With a spoonable body and speckled texture from relish and paprika, it’s both familiar and versatile, working as a spread, dip, or dressing base.

The idea of a "special" house sauce took off in mid-20th-century American burger stands, where proprietary blends became part of each diner’s identity. Chains popularized variations—some calling it secret sauce, others spread—but most shared a common template of mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and spices. Over decades, the formula migrated into home kitchens, where it remains a nostalgic staple and a shorthand for the classic American burger profile.