We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
If you’ve ever eaten fries in Utah, chances are you’ve dipped them in Fry Sauce. This creamy, tangy, slightly sweet sauce is a local favorite—and once you try it, you’ll understand why! So easy to make with only 2 ingredients.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Love this as a base—added smoked paprika and few dashes of Cholula. Served with oven fries. It was gobbled up!” – Barbara
“I’m an Idaho girl, and we take our potatoes seriously around here! Fry sauce is the best way to enjoy our homegrown spuds! This recipe is perfect to get the right ratios, and I love all the variations you listed to mix things up. Once you dip with fry sauce, it’s the only condiment you will want to use!” – Caryn
“This fry sauce tastes just like the kind you get at burger joints in Utah! So easy to make and way better than plain ketchup.” – Lindsay
Why I Love This Easy Sauce
Not too long ago, if you’d walk into a restaurant in most states and ask for fry sauce, you would likely get either a strange look or a handful of ketchup packets. Trust me. I know from experience. Thankfully that’s not the case anymore! The secret is out! This irresistibly creamy sauce is the belle of the french fry ball, and has won over tastebuds throughout the nation with its charming deliciousness. Seriously, this 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. So good as a dip with our Air Fryer French Fries and Baked Potato Wedges, or smothered on our Homemade Hamburgers or Chicken Tenders.
🩷 Erice
Ingredients You’ll Need
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.
Restaurant Variations
Different restaurants have their own spin on 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 a delicious dip to go with a variety of recipes. The perfect combination for thick fries!
- In-N-Out 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! Especially good on their Animal Style Fries!
- Outback Steakhouse Blooming Onion Sauce: A little horseradish and brown mustard give this sauce some kick. It gives onion rings and French fries a richer, more mature taste. Really good with a Bloomin Onion or Onion Rings.
How to Make Fry Sauce
- Combine 1 part ketchup to 2 parts mayo (1:2 ratio).
- Stir well and refrigerate.
Flavor Additions
- 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 sauce to the next level.
- Pickle Relish: Add a little pickle relish or pickle 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 sauce a deep flavor that tastes delicious on a burger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Originally, this tasty condiment was mainly 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.
Homemade fry sauce will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. Be sure to give it a quick stir before serving, as it may separate a bit over time. For best flavor, keep it chilled and avoid leaving it out at room temperature for long periods.
There are some people who will tell you that pretty much anything tastes better with fry sauce. But there are several things that go best with this sauce. 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 Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Air Fryer Onion Rings, or Chicken Tenders.
Yes! If you’re looking for a substitute for mayo, you can try Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter version, or sour cream for a creamier texture. For a dairy-free or vegan option, plant-based mayo works well too. Just keep in mind that the flavor and texture may vary slightly depending on the swap.
Yes, this recipe is identical to the classic Utah fry sauce you’ll find at local burger joints and drive-ins! It’s the perfect blend of creamy, tangy, and just a little bit sweet—exactly what makes it a favorite throughout the state. You can also customize it with spices or hot sauce if you want to match your favorite regional variation.
More French Fry Dipping Sauce Recipes
Fry sauce isn’t the only dip for fries! Try any of these other popular dipping sauces:
I hope you love this Fry Sauce as much as I do! Next time you’re craving some crispy salty French Fries, give this dip a try—and I bet it’ll become your new favorite too. Please let us know how you like it or any variations that you tried in the comments below! 🍟
Fry Sauce Recipe (4 Variations)
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.
Video
Notes
- Customize the flavor – Add a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of cayenne, or a little smoked paprika for a spicy twist.
- Let it chill – For best flavor, let the sauce sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
- Great for more than fries – Try it as a dip for onion rings, chicken tenders, tater tots, or even as a burger spread.
- Make it ahead – Fry sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Use quality mayo and ketchup – Since the recipe is so simple, using good-quality condiments makes a big difference in taste.
I worked at Artic Circle when fry sauce got its start. It was originally made with mayo, catsup, and buttermilk. I don't know how much of each, but if you want the authentic stuff that is what it had.
I was raised in Utah and the hubs stationed in Las Vegas with the air force. So, every time I go to Utah, I almost squeal when I get to eat fry sauce. Seems like just ketchup and mustard don't quite cut it though… I heard restaurants sometimes use vinegar and/or pickle juice to make it just right. Although I do LOVE the BBQ sauce version, especially that of the Training Table!
I had to LOL on the fry sauce. I'm from Ohio, & actually don't like fry sauce, even though I now live in Utah. *ducks from tomatoes* lol Many of my friends mixed the mayo & ketchup for their fries back east, but it was mayo & ketchup. The only fry sauce I like is Ab's here in Utah. &, wanted to say, LOVE your blog!!!!! Fab recipes I can't wait to try. 😉 Thanks! =)
I find that if you combine ranch dressing and ketchup you get a frysauce with zing! I live in utah and yes the stuff is everywhere but my daughter and I when she was two came up with a sauce we love more ranch and ketchup. If you like fry sauce you might find this a pleasant change.
I had the unfortunate experience of trying it and one of your "Utah Resturants" last time I was there. I think you have to be raised on it – I didn't like it. Arizona is a NON-Frysauce State.
But I'm glad to know what's in it now.
Red Robin sauce is great! Leatherbey's (Don't think I spelt it right…) in Taylorsville, UT uses onions in theirs and it's good too. It can also be found in Utah supermarkets it's called "Some Dude's Fry Sauce". Grew up on it and don't eat fries with anything else!
I'm pretty sure it's not just Utah. It's all over the west coast. It's the east coast that look at you like you're stupid if you order it. So good!
I’m from Connecticut and never heard of fry sauce as an actual thing, I do however make something similar for my fries. I use mayo, ketchup, hot sauce ( just a splash) and seasonings like black pepper and celery seed or celery salt. For onion rings I do the same only add spicy mustard and a splash of lemon juice.
I was born and raised in NM and fry sauce was something we always made too! I believe it is popular because of the old time car hop type places. I used to work at a doughnut shop and we made it there! So good! Great blog!
I love the fry sauce at A&W in Logan… I think it has relish in it too, soooo yummy!
Yes you may post on your blog, please just give the author credit.
-Erica
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?
Red Robbin's every where have fry sauce. However, if you are asking for it outside of Utah you have to ask for campfire sauce instead of fry sauce.
When I was young we lived in two states that had fry sauce !! In Oregon the Arctic Circle had it for the tater tots and in Blackfoot Idaho they had fry sauce at Humpty's Dump a drive-in that also sold a soft drink called "Iron Port" which you can't get anymore !! 🙁
I introduced my daughter to fry sauce in Utah about 5 years ago and she will eat anything with fry sauce on it !! !!!
Not sure where you live now but in Logan, UT there is a place called Juniper Takeout that has iron port soda on tap. If you’re ever in Utah you’ll have to go there.
Dear Author http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com !
It agree, it is the amusing answer
Oh yeah, they have fry sauce everywhere here in Idaho. It is so great, I hate having to mix my own when I am out to eat.
Oh yeah baby.
I fell in love with fry sauce as a student at BYU. When I married and moved to Washington, I had to come up with my own version. I add worcestershire sauce to mine. You are right, once you are hooked, plain ketchup just isn't enought on fries.
good idea!
I used to work at Frontier Pies and their version was BBQ Sauce, Cheese sauce, and mayo.
Oooh that sounds good!
I found your blog because I googled something a while back and I just love it. I live in Idaho and it is the same with the whole fry sauce thing. I didn't know that people everywhere didn't have it until I asked in some other state when I was a teen. I love it and my brother had me add jut about a teaspoon of dill pickle juice along with the mustard and it is really good. Thanks for your great blog.
To me, it seems that Artic Circle had thousand island dressing mixed with ketch-up and maybe mayo.
I remember the fry sauce had small chucks in it. Maybe relish.
Thanks! I had no idea that Idaho was a fry sauce state.. I won't be afraid to ask for it next time I drive through! Thanks for the comment!