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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!
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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 really easy to make, I can’t explain how just a few 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. Try it. You will love it. You will never go back to eating fries with plain old ketchup again.
This is just one of many delicious dips and sauces we love! Try dipping breadsticks in our homemade alfredo sauce, drench chicken with our yummy homemade barbeque sauce, or serve fish and chips with this easy-to-make tartar sauce.
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 spoonsful of each in a bowl and whisk until you get a glorious pink color. However, as you’ll see when you read our recipe below, there are several ways to create this iconic dipping sauce. Once it’s made, 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.
Restaurant Variations
Now as you will see in the recipe below, there are all kinds of variations you can make to the original fry sauce. We have included three different variations including Red Robin campfire sauce, In-In-Out fry sauce, or blooming onion sauce. These all have main ingredients with a mixture of ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayo, and mustard. The combinations are endless!
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. A great way to add a sweet and tangy taste in every bite. 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. A sweet, savory, and spicy dip is the perfect combination for dipping in sweet and salty recipes. Enjoy this blooming onion sauce with your friends and family!
More Tasty Fry Sauce Ideas
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.
- Add a little pickle juice to the mayo and ketchup for an extra tangy flavor.
- For a little kick, toss in a dash or two of hot sauce, cayenne pepper and paprika.
- Add any spices you like to a basic ketchup and mayo mixture: garlic powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, or grill seasoning.
- A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce will give the fry sauce a deep flavor that tastes delicious on a burger.
- Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar to the ketchup and mayo.
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 these Fry Sauce versions on our Loaded Cheesy Potato Skins. Or, 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.
If you’re looking to dress up the average hamburger, fry sauce is an excellent way. Give it a try on our White Castle Sliders Copycat Recipe and let us know how it tastes!
How to Make Fry Sauce
Fry Sauce – made 4 ways
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.
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.
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!
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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.
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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!