We may not eat at the golden arches anymore, but we can still enjoy a healthy version of that special sauce! An easy 5 minute recipe, this low-carb copycat big mac sauce is so simple and delicious. Slather it on burgers or chicken, dress up a salad or dip some fries in it!
How to make big mac sauce
Spoiler alert – the McDonald’s special sauce isn’t really all that secret or special. It’s not a complicated recipe, so it’s easy to make a healthy homemade version with common ingredients from your pantry. Here’s all you need:
- Avocado oil mayo (Brands like Primal Kitchen, Chosen Foods or Sir Kensington’s are healthy no-sugar options)
- Vinegar
- Tomato paste
- Garlic + onion powder
- Diced dill pickle
The step-by-step instructions are about as easy as it gets:
- Mix – Simply add the ingredients to a bowl or jar and whisk to mix.
- Refrigerate – Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more allow the flavors to blend. You can serve immediately also if you can’t wait.
- Serve – Mix the sauce before serving. Slather it on burgers, use it for dipping or as dressing for a big mac salad.
- Store Leftovers – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Mix the sauce before serving.
Making it healthy
Making this sauce healthy is actually pretty easy. With just a few tweaks to “common” ingredients that would normally go in a big mac sauce, we’ve made this recipe Paleo, Whole30 and Keto friendly!
Here are the swaps we made to make this recipe healthier.
- Avocado oil instead of vegetable oil – Here is another link explaining why you shouldn’t eat highly processed industrial seed/vegetable oils.
- Tomato paste, seasonings and vinegar instead of ketchup – Most of the ketchup bottles you find in the store are filled with sugar and other additives you don’t need.
- Dill pickle instead of sweet relish – Using a dill pickle eliminates the extra sugar you’d get in a sweet relish and adds a tangy flavor that’s better than the original.
How to use this big mac sauce
The options for using this sauce are really endless, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you go through a batch!
- Slather it all over your burger buns or sauce up some bunless burgers
- Use it as dressing for a big mac salad
- Dip some fries or chopped veggies
- Add it to a low-carb side like grilled cauliflower or roasted radishes
Your turn to try this copycat McDonald’s special sauce
Get ready for this better than the real thing big mac sauce! Whip up a batch and get creative with how you use it. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Also, take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, we love to see what you are cooking!
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Healthy, 5-Minute Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tsp mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 medium dill pickle, finely diced, (can sub relish)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or pint jar and mix well with a whisk. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
My kids said it tastes better than McDonalds! I used low-fat Mayo and it was amazing!
Well that’s an amazing review! So glad your kids liked the sauce 🙂
Simple and delicious!
delicious and easy, thanks so much!
You’re welcome! Thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review, we appreciate it 🙂
Mustard powder or yellow mustard kept in the refrigerator?
Yellow mustard kept in the fridge. Enjoy!
This is lick-the-spoon worthy 😛 So good!
I agree, it’s such a tasty sauce!