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If you don’t know what Fry Sauce is, you are missing out! Just mix a few simple ingredients and you will never dip your fries in anything else again!
If you walk into a restaurant in most states and ask for fry sauce, you are likely to get either a strange look or a handful of ketchup packets. Trust me. I know from experience. And no, it’s not Thousand Island Dressing either. This fry sauce is so yummy and super easy to make, I can’t explain how just a couple simple ingredients can take the potato world by storm, but they have and they do. I grew up on this stuff. To be honest, it’s probably the first “recipe” I ever made when I was 4 or 5. Try it. You will love it. You will never go back to eating fries with plain old ketchup again.
What is Fry Sauce?
For the most part, this tasty condiment can be found in Utah, Idaho, and parts of Oregon. At its most basic level, a fry sauce recipe is just a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise. Put a couple of spoonfuls of each in a bowl and whisk until you get an orange-y pink color. Once you have the basics down, the options for what to dip into it are endless. Make sure to store it in the fridge, and the batch will last up to a week.
How to Make Fry Sauce
Fry sauce is made of 2 ingredients: Ketchup and Mayonnaise. Pretty simple, right? There is no need to overcomplicate it. In my opinion, it is very best with Best Foods Mayo (Hellmann’s for you East coasters) and Heinz Ketchup. Combine 1 part ketchup to 2 parts mayo (1:2 ratio) and stir well. That’s it!
Restaurant Variations
As you will see in the recipe below, there are all kinds of variations you can make to the original fry sauce. Here are some of our favorites
Red Robin Campfire Sauce: BBQ sauce replaces ketchup in Red Robin’s Campfire Sauce. It tastes great with onion rings, fries, and chicken strips or nuggets. This is a sweet and savory sauce that is delicious with a variety of recipes to dip it into. The perfect combination for thick fries!
In-N-Out Fry Sauce: This version has a pickle relish in it. The relish gives it more of a dill flavor and the little chunks of pickles give it some texture and crunch. Mix together in a small bowl and get ready for loads of flavor!
Outback Steakhouse Blooming Onion Sauce: A little horseradish and brown mustard give this fry sauce some kick. It gives onion rings and French fries a richer, more mature, taste.
More Additions and Variations
You can mix and match or substitute the flavors above or come up with your own. They are all the same basic idea and they are ALL so tasty in their own way.
- Mustard: Yellow mustard is the most popular addition for most fry sauce recipes. It adds a new dimension of flavor that I absolutely love. Just a little squirt of mustard is all you need to take your fry sauce to the next level.
- Pickle Relish: Add a little pickle relish or juice (dill or sweet) to the mayo and ketchup for an extra tangy flavor.
- Hot sauce: For a little kick, toss in a dash or two of hot sauce, cayenne pepper and paprika.
- Spices: Add any spices you like to a basic ketchup and mayo mixture: garlic powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, or grill seasoning.
- Worcestershire: A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce will give the fry sauce a deep flavor that tastes delicious on a burger.
What Tastes Good with Fry Sauce?
There are some people who will tell you that pretty much anything tastes better with fry sauce. But there are several things for which this condiment is best. Our delicious Baked Potato Wedges are one of the first things that come to mind. You could try one of our alternate versions on our Loaded Cheesy Potato Skins, Onion Rings, or even on chicken tenders. The next time you pick up takeout french fries, whip up some of this amazing dipping sauce and see how much better even the best restaurant french fries can taste.
More French Fry Dipping Sauce Recipes
Fry sauce isn’t the only dip for fries! Try any of these other popular dipping sauces:
Best Fry Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
Variations:
Red Robin Campfire Sauce
- 1 cup Fry Sauce (see above)
- 1/3 cup BBQ Sauce
In-N-Out Fry Sauce
- 1 cup Fry Sauce (see above)
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1/4 cup dill relish
Outback Steakhouse Bloomin' Onion Sauce
- 1 cup Fry Sauce (see above)
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon creamy horseradish (or to taste)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients until smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Eat with fries or chicken nuggets.
Thank you so much! I always tried, but could never figure it out. I would love it if you could figure out what Jumbo Burger (in Farr West, Utah) fry sauce is made of!? I have been trying for about a decade to figure it out. I’ve tried seasoning salt added to ketchup and mayo, but that’s as close as I could get, but it’s still not right. Please help!
We’ve never been there, but if we go we will try it!
I made mine with Whataburger Spicy Ketchup and it was the bomb!
I used the Red Robin version of the Fry Sauce and it was wonderful. Thank-you for this recipe.
I also used the fry sauce when I made grilled cheese sandwiches. I spread it the inside of each slice of bread then add the cheese and fry it up with butter or margarine.
Have used these sauces for years…Am still trying to match Texas Roadhouse sauce served with the catfish…
great great sauce
My ex husband said the basic ingredients for the fry sauce is french salad dressing when you don’t have any, but i didn’t like it on lettuce
Fry sauce is thicker, and to me tastes different. It’s not as tangy as French salad dressing – but, maybe that’s just me. In either case, the fry sauce is delicious on French fries!
I have been making the basic fry sauce (though I didn’t have a name for it) for at least fifty years and spooning it over lettuce wedges. I’m a Texan, born and raised in Houston.
Fry Sauce is nothing more than Mayo, Ketchup, & whatever else you choose to add into it – depending upon your palate, and on what you’ll be eating it with. IMO, add in whatever you desire. OMG, it’s NOT a recipe which is chiseled in stone, so go with your personal taste buds. It’s REALLY not a big deal for most of us.
These are marvelous!!!! I love to dip roasted broccoli in the fry sauce too – SO GOOD!
I can not wait to try each and every one of these fry sauces! I can’t decide which one to try first as they all look and sound incredible!!