The Ultimate Burger Sauce Guide: Transform Your Burgers with Perfect Toppings

Sauce does more work on a burger than it gets credit for. It adds moisture, ties the toppings together, and brings the acid, sweetness or heat that the beef and cheese don't have. Most burger sauces need only a bowl, a whisk and a few things already in the fridge, and five minutes of mixing beats most bottled versions. Below are nine to start with, plus the framework for inventing your own.

Quick reference

Classic special sauce

The tangy, creamy, slightly sweet sauce on countless fast-food burgers is usually a close cousin of Thousand Island dressing, which is why it tastes so familiar. Mayo is the base. Ketchup adds sweetness and tomato, sweet relish adds texture and acid, Dijon cuts the richness, a splash of vinegar or pickle brine brightens it, and garlic powder, onion powder and paprika round it out.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Stir everything together and refrigerate for at least an hour so the flavors blend and mellow. Want it sweeter? Add ketchup or a pinch of sugar. Tangier? More mustard and vinegar. Use it on a classic double cheeseburger, on smash burgers, or anywhere you want that fast-food taste with fresher ingredients.

Sriracha aioli

True aioli is an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; the American version is flavored mayonnaise, and it's very easy. This one is spicy, garlicky and creamy.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sriracha, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Pinch of salt

Don't skip the lime. It cuts the richness of the mayo and sharpens the sriracha's heat so it doesn't just taste generically hot. Good on burgers with assertive toppings (bacon, sharp cheddar, grilled onions, jalapeños) and on chicken or turkey burgers that need a boost. For variations, add a pinch of smoked paprika, swap lime for lemon, or stir in a teaspoon of honey for sweet heat. It's just as good on fries and grilled vegetables.

Chipotle mayo

Chipotles are smoked jalapeños, sold canned in adobo sauce, and they bring smoke along with the heat. The adobo adds a tangy, slightly sweet note.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Mince the peppers finely, or blend everything smooth. Start with one pepper and taste before adding another; chipotles and adobo are both potent. The smoke echoes the char on a grilled beef burger, and the sauce gives black bean or portobello burgers the punch they often lack. It suits pepper jack, avocado, grilled poblanos and caramelized onions. Freeze leftover chipotles in a small container or an ice cube tray for the next batch.

Gochujang mayo

Gochujang, Korean fermented chili paste, brings heat, savory depth from fermentation and a little sweetness from glutinous rice, with heat that builds slowly. Mayo softens it.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)

Rice vinegar brightens it, sesame oil adds nuttiness and honey balances the heat. Use it on beef, pork or chicken burgers with kimchi, pickled vegetables, crispy fried onions or a fried egg. A splash of soy sauce or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds another layer. Look for gochujang in red plastic tubs in the international aisle or at Asian markets; a little goes a long way.

BBQ bourbon sauce

Homemade barbecue sauce takes minutes, and bourbon adds caramel notes that suit the smoke and sweetness.

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Unlike the mayo sauces, this one gets a 5-minute simmer over medium heat to blend the flavors and soften the bourbon's raw edge. A short simmer doesn't remove all the alcohol, so leave the bourbon out if that matters; the sauce still works, with a little less caramel depth. It tastes better after a day or two. Use it on beef burgers with sharp cheddar, crispy bacon and caramelized onions, or on turkey and chicken burgers. It also works as a meatloaf glaze, a fry dip or a marinade for grilled chicken.

Bacon jam

Less a sauce than a spread: bacon and caramelized onions cooked down with coffee, maple syrup and vinegar until salty, sweet, smoky and jammy. It isn't a five-minute job, but one batch covers a dozen or more burgers.

• 1 pound (450 g) thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
• Black pepper to taste

1. Cook the bacon until crisp and lift it out, leaving the fat in the pan.
2. Cook the onions in the bacon fat, low and slow, for 20 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and sweet.
3. Return the bacon and add the coffee (its bitterness cuts the richness), maple syrup, brown sugar, vinegar and bourbon, if using.
4. Simmer until thick and jammy, then pulse briefly in a food processor so it spreads but keeps some texture.

Spread it on a burger with sharp cheddar or blue cheese and a handful of arugula for peppery contrast. It also gives veggie burgers the savory, meaty note they can lack, and it's good on grilled cheese or stirred into mac and cheese. Bacon jam is cooked meat, so use it within 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze it in portions.

Garlic herb aioli

When the beef is good and you don't want to bury it, this is the sauce: garlicky, fresh and mild, with no heat or sweetness.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil or dill, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Use fresh garlic here, not powder, and fresh-squeezed lemon. The olive oil brings it closer to a traditional aioli. Make it a few hours ahead if you can, so the garlic mellows and the herbs flavor the mayo. To keep it longer, make the base and stir in the herbs just before serving. It suits Swiss or Gruyère, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and roasted red peppers, and lamb burgers, where the herbs suit the meat.

Teriyaki gochujang glaze

Teriyaki's sweet-salty side tames gochujang's heat, and gochujang gives teriyaki more depth. This one works twice: as a glaze on the patty and as a sauce on the bun.

• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Simmer it for a few minutes, until slightly thickened; the heat also helps the gochujang blend in smoothly. For homemade teriyaki, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in equal parts. Brush the glaze on the patties during the last minute of cooking for a glossy, caramelized finish, then spread more on the toasted buns. It goes with beef, pork, chicken or salmon burgers and toppings like pickled cucumbers, kimchi, fried onions or cilantro. Warm it gently before glazing.

Mustard sauces

Mustard-based sauces cut richness without adding the weight of mayo, which makes them a good fit for burgers already loaded with bacon and cheese, or topped with sharp cheddar, pickles, grilled onions or sauerkraut.

Honey mustard:

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Balance is everything: too much honey and it's cloying, too much mustard and it's harsh. Two more to try:

• Whole grain mustard sauce: whole grain mustard with sour cream or Greek yogurt (tangier and lighter than mayo), fresh dill, lemon juice and a little maple syrup. The seeds give it texture.
• Beer mustard: Dijon with a few tablespoons of amber ale or stout, brown sugar and a dash of Worcestershire, simmered briefly to concentrate. The malt suits beef and bratwurst-style patties.

Building your own sauce

Every sauce above is a mix of five elements:

• Fat: mayo, sour cream
• Acid: vinegar, citrus, pickle brine
• Sweet: honey, sugar, ketchup
• Heat: hot sauce, chilies, mustard
• Aromatics: garlic, herbs, spices

Start with a base you like and adjust the ratios. Halfway between special sauce and chipotle mayo? Mix them. Sweet heat? Stir honey into sriracha aioli. Smoky and Asian-leaning? Gochujang mayo with a touch of liquid smoke and teriyaki. Make small batches, and write down the ones that work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do homemade burger sauces keep?

Mayo-based sauces keep about 5 to 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge, and ones with fresh herbs are best within 3 to 4 days. Cooked, meat-free sauces like BBQ bourbon sauce and the teriyaki glaze keep up to two weeks. Bacon jam contains cooked meat, so give it 3 to 4 days. Throw out anything that smells or looks off.

Can burger sauces be frozen?

Not the mayo-based ones: the emulsion breaks as it thaws and the sauce turns watery and grainy. Cooked sauces like bacon jam and BBQ bourbon sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze them in small portions (an ice cube tray works) so you thaw only what you need. Mustard-based and vinegar-heavy sauces freeze reasonably well, though the texture may change slightly.

Is mayo or Greek yogurt the better base?

Mayo makes a richer, creamier sauce that binds well and has a neutral taste that lets the other ingredients come through. Greek yogurt is lighter and tangier, with more protein and fewer calories, but it can thin the sauce and its tang competes with other flavors. Use mayo for classic burger sauces and yogurt for lighter or Mediterranean-style ones, or split the base half and half.

How do you make a sauce hotter without changing its character?

Add heat that brings little flavor of its own: a pinch of cayenne or a few drops of a plain hot sauce, a little at a time, tasting as you go. Fresh jalapeño or serrano adds heat plus a green, vegetal note. In the Asian-style sauces, add more gochujang or a little chili oil; in the Southwestern ones, add more chipotle.