• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Bites
    • Mains
    • Sides
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Pizza
    • Soups & Stews
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Drinks & Libations
    • Breads, Butters, and Jams
    • Sourdough
    • Sauces & Savory Condiments
    • Harry Potter
    • Recipe Index
  • Shop
    • Kitchen Tools
    • Pantry Staples
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy

Whip & Wander

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Newsletter
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Whip & Wander » Recipes » Sauces & Savory Condiments

    Published: Aug 20, 2019 · Modified: Aug 10, 2023 by Jenni · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Special Sauce

    This page may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Special Sauce drizzling off of a gold spoon into a small brown dish
    a gold spoon scooping up Special Sauce out of a bowl on a white cloth
    Special Sauce dripping off of a spoon into a bowl of more sauce

    Whether you refer to it as special sauce, burger sauce, fry sauce, fancy sauce, or even secret sauce, this creamy and tangy sauce is one of the most versatile ways to add a burst of flavor to dinner. With everyday ingredients found in your fridge and pantry, it offers a medley of flavors to punch up burgers, fries, and more! This easy Special Sauce recipe takes only 5 minutes to make!

    A gold spoon drizzling Special Sauce into a small brown bowl
    Jump to:
    • What Makes this Creamy Condiment Unique?
    • Ingredients Needed to Make Special Sauce
    • How to Make Special Sauce
    • Creative Uses for Special Sauce
    • Essential Tools for Making Special Sauce
    • More Delicious Sauce Recipes to Explore
    • Special Sauce

    What Makes this Creamy Condiment Unique?

    The base of Special Sauce starts with a classic pink sauce of creamy mayonnaise and ketchup. This classic combination is elevated with a measure of briny dill pickle relish, zesty white vinegar, dried dill, and a dash of spice from Dijon mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. The resulting sauce is creamy and tangy, offering a touch of sweetness and heat that makes this gourmet condiment thoroughly irresistible!

    a labeled image of the ingredients needed to make Special Sauce on a white cloth

    Ingredients Needed to Make Special Sauce

    • Mayonnaise
    • Ketchup
    • Dill Pickle Relish
    • Dijon Mustard
    • White Vinegar (traditional distilled vinegar, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or Champagne vinegar)
    • Dried Dill
    • Paprika
    • Garlic Powder
    • Cracked Black Pepper

    Like an extra kick of heat?

    Consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or a splash of Tabasco or sriracha hot sauce!

    How to Make Special Sauce

    Creating your own special sauce is a breeze! Follow these simple steps to craft this delectable homemade condiment that adds a burst of flavor to your dishes:

    1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle relish, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, dried dill, paprika, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper (for an extra kick of heat, consider a pinch of cayenne, Tabasco, or sriracha).
    2. Using a small spatula, stir the ingredients until the sauce is fully combined.
    3. Once combined, store the sauce covered in the fridge until ready to use.

    Customize this Easy Condiment to Your Tastes

    Feel free to experiment with ingredient ratios to suit your taste preferences or use the specific measurements in the recipe card below. This flexibility allows you to create a delicious Special Sauce that perfectly matches your flavor preferences.

    a quadrant of images showing the process for making Special Sauce

    Creative Uses for Special Sauce

    This incredibly versatile sauce is a flavorful addition to a wide range of dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this quick and easy Special Sauce recipe:

    • This Burger Sald with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
    • Smothered on top of traditional beef or turkey burgers
    • On black bean or other vegetarian burgers
    • On fish burgers or fried fish sandwiches
    • As a dip for fried fish, shrimp, or calamari
    • As a creamy condiment for french fries, potato wedges, roasted sweet potatoes, or crispy smashed potatoes
    • As a spread for sandwiches -- It’s particularly good on Reuben sandwiches in place of the traditional Russian dressing, turkey melts, and tuna melts
    • Drizzled on top of roasted root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, onions, radishes, and rutabaga

    Essential Tools for Making Special Sauce

    • A kitchen scale (or measuring cups for less precise measurements)
    • Measuring spoons
    • A small mixing bowl
    • A small spatula

    Are You Looking to Upgrade Your Cooking Tools or Replenish Your Pantry?

    Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

    a large burger salad with a bowl of Special Sauce resting nearby

    More Delicious Sauce Recipes to Explore

    Love this tangy and creamy Special Sauce recipe? Here are some more of my favorite quick and easy sauce recipes to add a punch of flavor to dinner!

    • Lemon Herb Tartar Sauce
    • Romesco Sauce
    • Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
    • Lemon Dill Cream Sauce
    • Honey Sriracha Sauce
    • Tzatziki Sauce
    • Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce
    • Spicy Red BBQ Sauce
    • Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
    • Firewhisky BBQ Sauce
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    A gold spoon drizzling Special Sauce into a small brown bowl

    Special Sauce

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
    • Author: Whip & Wander
    • Prep Time: 3 minutes
    • Total Time: 3 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Sauces & Savory Condiments
    • Method: No-Cook
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Whether you refer to it as special sauce, burger sauce, fry sauce, fancy sauce, or even secret sauce, this creamy and tangy sauce is one of the most versatile ways to add a burst of flavor to dinner. With everyday ingredients found in your fridge and pantry, it offers a medley of flavors to punch up burgers, fries, and more! This easy Special Sauce recipe takes only 5 minutes to make!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 112 g (½ cup) mayonnaise
    • 68 g (¼ cup) ketchup
    • 30 g (2 tbsp) dill pickle relish
    • 15 g (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
    • 6 g (1 tsp) white vinegar (see notes for options)
    • ½ tsp dried dill
    • ½ tsp paprika
    • ¼ tsp garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
    • Optional: For an added kick of heat consider a pinch of cayenne or a splash of Tabasco or Sriracha hot sauce

    Instructions

    1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle relish, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, dried dill, paprika, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. If you're adding the optional cayenne or hot sauce, you can add it at this time as well.
    2. Using a small spatula, stir the ingredients until the sauce is fully combined.
    3. Once combined, store the sauce covered in the fridge until ready to use.

    Notes

    Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

    8/10/23 This recipe was updated and may no longer fit specified dietary preferences from previous versions of this post. Previous version 8/20/19.

    White vinegar options: Can use traditional distilled vinegar, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or Champagne vinegar.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 tbsp
    • Calories: 147
    • Sugar: 2 g
    • Sodium: 294 mg
    • Fat: 16 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 3 g
    • Cholesterol: 13 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @whipandwander on Instagram and hashtag it #whipandwander

    « BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch
    Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Misty says

      April 02, 2021 at 7:12 am

      Any idea how many total servings this makes?

      Reply
      • Whip & Wander says

        April 02, 2021 at 10:48 am

        This recipe should make (roughly) 7 servings of 2 tbsp.

        Reply
    2. Diana says

      September 14, 2019 at 9:03 pm

      Love the sound of this sauce, simple ingredients and so flavourful! Will definitely try this!

      Reply
    3. Valentina says

      September 14, 2019 at 8:36 pm

      This would be so awesome to have at the ready at all times. I can think of so many things I'd drizzle it on. Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices to use!

      Reply
    4. Erin says

      September 14, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      This is one of my all-time favorite burger toppings. It is great o dip fries into too.

      Reply
    5. Megan Ellam says

      September 14, 2019 at 7:54 pm

      I am a massive fan of making my own sauces. This one is a delicious recipe. Thanks so much for sharing Jenni!

      Reply
    6. Sara says

      September 14, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      This sauce sounds pretty good to me! I would dip chicken or pretzel rods in this, or maybe add to a sandwich!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Pleased to meet you, I’m Jenni!

    Welcome to my little slice of the web where I share recipes for food, travel, books, and life!

    More about me →

    What to Make Right Now

    • a large white bowl with Southwest Pasta Salad resting on a gauzy green cloth with wooden salad servers
      Southwest Pasta Salad
    • a gold spoon scooping up roasted salmon topped with fresh herbs and feta
      Roasted Salmon with Feta and Herbs
    • A big white bowl filled Curried Chicken Salad on an orange cloth with salad servers
      Curried Chicken Salad
    • a white bowl with Spicy Kimchi Ahi Poke and a gold fork inside
      Spicy Kimchi Ahi Poke

    It's Big Salad Season

    • BBQ Chicken Salad in a large white bowl with a jar of buttermilk jalapeno ranch dressing on the side
      BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch
    • A Burger Salad with Meatballs, a bowl of Special Sauce, and a plate of blue cheese
      Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce
    • A large white bowl filled with bbq pulled pork salad resting on a green cloth with peaches next to the bowl
      BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Peaches and Cornbread Croutons
    • Tuna Salad Nicoise on a large white platter sitting on a wooden surface with salaf serving utensils resting to the right of the platter
      Tuna Nicoise Salad (Salade Niçoise)

    Summer Salads to Serve on the Side

    • strawberry peach salad on a white platter resting on a white towel
      Strawberry Peach Summer Salad with Basil Walnut Pesto
    • Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese Dressing on a deep white plate
      Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese Dressing
    • Arugula Salad with Calabrian Chili Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan on a white plate resting on a green cloth
      Arugula Salad with Calabrian Chili Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan
    • two white bowls with Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado, a small plate of lemons on the side
      Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado

    The Best Sandwiches Ever

    • a Prosciutto and Cheese Sandwich with Chili Fig Jam resting n a white plate on an orange cloth
      Prosciutto and Cheese Sandwich with Chili Fig Jam
    • an open baguette with onion, arugula, eggs, tapenade, tuna salad, tomatoes
      French Tuna Sandwich (Pan Bagnat)
    • an Italian Deli Sandwich on a white plate on a green cloth
      Italian Deli Sandwich
    • a closeup of a baguette with romesco sauce, arugula, and roast beef peeking out
      Roast Beef Sandwich with Romesco and Arugula

    Popular Recipes

    • a hand pulling a square of cheesy pizza from its tray
      Easy Same-Day Pizza Dough
    • a cast iron skillet with corn bread next to a plate with a slice of cornbread and pat of butter
      Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread
    • a white bowl with instant pot artichokes and lemon wedges in a copper dish
      Pressure Cooker Artichokes
    • a wooden spoon resting in a skillet full of Pasta with Olive Tapenade on a dark teal cloth
      Pasta with Olive Tapenade

    Make it a Pizza Night with These Delicious Recipes

    • a hand grabbing a slice of Peach, Corn, and Jalapeno Pizza with Honey off of a baking tray
      Peach, Corn, and Jalapeno Pizza with Honey
    • A slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza on a zucchini pizza crust being pulled off of a tray by a hand
      Zucchini Pizza Crust
    • a hand pulling a slice of White Clam Pizza off of a baking sheet
      White Clam Pizza
    • square slizes of BBQ Chicken Pizza on a sheet pan
      BBQ Chicken Pizza

    Bright & Easy Brunch Dishes

    • breakfast tacos on a white plate with cilantro and eggs
      Green Chili Breakfast Tacos
    • Peaches and fresh whipped cream on top of a Buttermilk Dutch Baby in a cast iron skillet resting on a wooden surface
      Buttermilk Dutch Baby
    • three plate with slices of kitchen sink frittata resting on a tan cloth
      Kitchen Sink Frittata
    • Blueberry sauce ont op of a stack of pancakes that have been cut into resting on a lilac cloth
      Sourdough Discard Buttermilk Pancakes

    Sweet Summer Treats

    • baked spiced peach crumble bars with almonds on top
      Spiced Peach Crumble Bars (Gluten-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)
    • Buttermilk Peach Pie Ice Cream in a glass pan resting on a cloth with two fresh peaches nearby
      Buttermilk Peach Pie Ice Cream
    • several plates with slices of pound cake, topped with whipped cream and berries on a neutral back ground
      Perfect Pound Cake
    • a harry potter book sitting next to a glass dish of strawberry buttermilk ice cream with a metal ice cream scoop and two cones resting in the dish. a bowl of strawberries resting nearby
      Molly Weasley's Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

    Flavor Boosters: Sauces, Dressings & Condiments

    • Romesco Sauce in a dark green bowl with a gold spoon resting in the bowl
      Romesco Sauce
    • A gold spoon drizzling Special Sauce into a small brown bowl
      Special Sauce
    • Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing in a glass jar with a gold spoon resting in the jar and everything resting on a green cloth
      Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
    • caesar salad dripping off of a spoon into a glass jar
      Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

    Magical Harry Potter Recipes

    • a loaf pan of ice cream resting next to a harry potter book on orange cloths
      Butterbeer Ice Cream
    • a pink and green iced chocolate birthday cake sitting on a wooden cake stand with a harry potter cook, a cake server, and a dark teal down nearby
      Harry Potter's Sticky Chocolate Birthday Cake (Gluten-Free)
    • a wooden surface with a white bowl filled with lemon slices and lemon ice pops ona blue towel, a harry potter book resting next to the bowl
      Lemon Ice Pops (Harry Potter-Inspired)
    • wooden tray, gillywater, glasses, white towel, mint, lime
      Gillywater

    Pleased to meet you, I’m Jenni!

    Welcome to my little slice of the web where I share recipes for food, travel, books, and life!

    More about me →

    What to Make Right Now

    • a large white bowl with Southwest Pasta Salad resting on a gauzy green cloth with wooden salad servers
      Southwest Pasta Salad
    • a gold spoon scooping up roasted salmon topped with fresh herbs and feta
      Roasted Salmon with Feta and Herbs
    • A big white bowl filled Curried Chicken Salad on an orange cloth with salad servers
      Curried Chicken Salad
    • a white bowl with Spicy Kimchi Ahi Poke and a gold fork inside
      Spicy Kimchi Ahi Poke

    It's Big Salad Season

    • BBQ Chicken Salad in a large white bowl with a jar of buttermilk jalapeno ranch dressing on the side
      BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch
    • A Burger Salad with Meatballs, a bowl of Special Sauce, and a plate of blue cheese
      Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce
    • A large white bowl filled with bbq pulled pork salad resting on a green cloth with peaches next to the bowl
      BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Peaches and Cornbread Croutons
    • Tuna Salad Nicoise on a large white platter sitting on a wooden surface with salaf serving utensils resting to the right of the platter
      Tuna Nicoise Salad (Salade Niçoise)

    Summer Salads to Serve on the Side

    • strawberry peach salad on a white platter resting on a white towel
      Strawberry Peach Summer Salad with Basil Walnut Pesto
    • Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese Dressing on a deep white plate
      Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese Dressing
    • Arugula Salad with Calabrian Chili Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan on a white plate resting on a green cloth
      Arugula Salad with Calabrian Chili Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan
    • two white bowls with Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado, a small plate of lemons on the side
      Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado

    The Best Sandwiches Ever

    • a Prosciutto and Cheese Sandwich with Chili Fig Jam resting n a white plate on an orange cloth
      Prosciutto and Cheese Sandwich with Chili Fig Jam
    • an open baguette with onion, arugula, eggs, tapenade, tuna salad, tomatoes
      French Tuna Sandwich (Pan Bagnat)
    • an Italian Deli Sandwich on a white plate on a green cloth
      Italian Deli Sandwich
    • a closeup of a baguette with romesco sauce, arugula, and roast beef peeking out
      Roast Beef Sandwich with Romesco and Arugula

    Popular Recipes

    • a hand pulling a square of cheesy pizza from its tray
      Easy Same-Day Pizza Dough
    • a cast iron skillet with corn bread next to a plate with a slice of cornbread and pat of butter
      Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread
    • a white bowl with instant pot artichokes and lemon wedges in a copper dish
      Pressure Cooker Artichokes
    • a wooden spoon resting in a skillet full of Pasta with Olive Tapenade on a dark teal cloth
      Pasta with Olive Tapenade

    Make it a Pizza Night with These Delicious Recipes

    • a hand grabbing a slice of Peach, Corn, and Jalapeno Pizza with Honey off of a baking tray
      Peach, Corn, and Jalapeno Pizza with Honey
    • A slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza on a zucchini pizza crust being pulled off of a tray by a hand
      Zucchini Pizza Crust
    • a hand pulling a slice of White Clam Pizza off of a baking sheet
      White Clam Pizza
    • square slizes of BBQ Chicken Pizza on a sheet pan
      BBQ Chicken Pizza

    Bright & Easy Brunch Dishes

    • breakfast tacos on a white plate with cilantro and eggs
      Green Chili Breakfast Tacos
    • Peaches and fresh whipped cream on top of a Buttermilk Dutch Baby in a cast iron skillet resting on a wooden surface
      Buttermilk Dutch Baby
    • three plate with slices of kitchen sink frittata resting on a tan cloth
      Kitchen Sink Frittata
    • Blueberry sauce ont op of a stack of pancakes that have been cut into resting on a lilac cloth
      Sourdough Discard Buttermilk Pancakes

    Sweet Summer Treats

    • baked spiced peach crumble bars with almonds on top
      Spiced Peach Crumble Bars (Gluten-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)
    • Buttermilk Peach Pie Ice Cream in a glass pan resting on a cloth with two fresh peaches nearby
      Buttermilk Peach Pie Ice Cream
    • several plates with slices of pound cake, topped with whipped cream and berries on a neutral back ground
      Perfect Pound Cake
    • a harry potter book sitting next to a glass dish of strawberry buttermilk ice cream with a metal ice cream scoop and two cones resting in the dish. a bowl of strawberries resting nearby
      Molly Weasley's Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

    Flavor Boosters: Sauces, Dressings & Condiments

    • Romesco Sauce in a dark green bowl with a gold spoon resting in the bowl
      Romesco Sauce
    • A gold spoon drizzling Special Sauce into a small brown bowl
      Special Sauce
    • Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing in a glass jar with a gold spoon resting in the jar and everything resting on a green cloth
      Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
    • caesar salad dripping off of a spoon into a glass jar
      Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

    Magical Harry Potter Recipes

    • a loaf pan of ice cream resting next to a harry potter book on orange cloths
      Butterbeer Ice Cream
    • a pink and green iced chocolate birthday cake sitting on a wooden cake stand with a harry potter cook, a cake server, and a dark teal down nearby
      Harry Potter's Sticky Chocolate Birthday Cake (Gluten-Free)
    • a wooden surface with a white bowl filled with lemon slices and lemon ice pops ona blue towel, a harry potter book resting next to the bowl
      Lemon Ice Pops (Harry Potter-Inspired)
    • wooden tray, gillywater, glasses, white towel, mint, lime
      Gillywater

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Recipes

    • Appetizers
    • Mains
    • Sides
    • Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Pizza
    • Harry Potter
    • Sourdough

    Whip & Wander

    Copyright © 2024 Whip & Wander. All Rights Reserved.

    Privacy Policy / Disclosures

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    More to consume

    • About
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Shop Tools
    • Shop Pantry
    3969 shares
    • 209
    3969 shares
    • 209