5–Minute Fry Sauce
This 5-minute fry sauce is creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and perfect for french fries, burgers, chicken tenders, or pizza.
Fry sauce is that pinkish orange dipping sauce you’ll see a lot in Utah and Idaho. This Utah fry sauce recipe starts with mayonnaise and ketchup, then adds pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika for a little more flavor.
I didn’t grow up eating fry sauce. I actually didn’t know what it was until a restaurant served it with a sandwich and fries, and I was immediately hooked.
It wasn’t quite remoulade, and it wasn’t just a basic ketchup and mayo mix either. I actually like it better! It’s super simple and definitely something you’d want to keep in the fridge for french fries, tater tots, onion rings, or burgers.
Tips for the Best Utah Fry Sauce
For this recipe, I like pickle juice best, but white vinegar works too. They taste a little different, so use what you have. Pickle juice gives the sauce a little more flavor, while vinegar keeps it simple and tangy.
I also stick with regular mayo instead of Miracle Whip. You can use Miracle Whip if that’s what you like, but it changes the flavor quite a bit and doesn’t blend as well with the other ingredients.
For more easy sauces to keep on hand, try my crab cake sauce, cilantro lime crema, tzatziki sauce, or homemade tartar sauce.
How to Make Utah Fry Sauce
Mix the base: Add the mayonnaise and ketchup to a small bowl, then stir until smooth. The sauce should be creamy and pale orange.
Add the flavor: Stir in the pickle juice or vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Taste it, then adjust from there.
Adjust to your taste: Add a little more ketchup if you want it sweeter, or more pickle juice or vinegar if you like it tangier. Add a few drops of Frank’s Hot Sauce or Tabasco if you want a tiny bit of heat.
You can serve this fry sauce right away, but it tastes even better after it sits in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The flavors blend together, and the sauce gets a little smoother.
Fry sauce isn’t only for dipping fries. Spread it over a pepper jack stuffed cheeseburger or use it on wraps and sandwiches.
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice, or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
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Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and ketchup until smooth.½ cup mayonnaise¼ cup ketchup
- Add the pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.1 tablespoon pickle juice1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce½ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more ketchup for sweetness or more pickle juice or vinegar for tanginess.
- Cover and refrigerate the sauce for about 30 minutes before serving, if possible.
Notes
- This is my version of fry sauce, and we love it. I’m not claiming it’s the most authentic version out there.
- This recipe makes about ¾ cup of fry sauce total. That’s about 6 servings, with each serving being about 2 tablespoons.
- Pickle juice and white vinegar both work, but they give the sauce slightly different flavors.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste. Add more ketchup for sweetness, more pickle juice or vinegar for tanginess, or a few drops of Frank’s Hot Sauce or Tabasco for a little heat.
- The sauce is ready to serve right away, but it tastes better after chilling in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.