In-N-Out Burger Spread is the delicious “secret” sauce that is used on all burgers and topped on Animal Style Fries. Easy to make and tastes exactly the same!
In-N-Out Burger Spread may sometimes be confused with regular 1000 Island dressing but the truth is that with just a few ingredients you can have an actual honest to goodness copycat.
This is literally how simple it is!
I should know something about these copycats, I actually made this dipping sauce as part of my original In-N-Out copycat posts. But then I would get emails asking if I was going to share the sauce recipe (it was in the post, just not highlighted enough).
There really aren’t many ways to adjust this recipe so I have some ideas for uses:
- Obviously as a dipping sauce or spread.
- Paired with grilled chicken, red bell peppers, tomatoes and roasted onions on kebabs. I brush this over the skewer at the last minute.
- Top meatloaf with it in the last 10 minutes of baking.
- On a hot dog, also top the hot dog with fries.
Looking for other In-N-Out recipes?
- In-N-Out Animal Style French Fries
- In-N-Out Double Double Animal Style
- More Copycat Recipes! Including the ENTIRE Panda Express Menu!
Tools Used in the making of this In-N-Out Burger Spread Dipping Sauce:
Mayonnaise: This is my favorite brand with the most similar flavor.
Sweet Pickle Relish: This was tested against three others and was the most similar in flavor.
Ketchup: Yes, I even tested varieties of ketchup.
White Vinegar: No differences here, this is just the brand I like to keep on hand.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and stir.
- Let cool in a refrigerator (covered) for an hour before serving for best flavor.
Nutrition
This is ok- but definitely missing something. I tasted a packet of In N Out spread at the same time and it was very different. Still yummy!
I don’t live anywhere near In N Out (think 2 states over), so I was excited to find this recipe. It makes a lot, and there was plenty of leftovers after a dinner of burger and fries.
I added the leftover sauce to a big pot of spaghetti sauce. It was worth it!
No need to add the sugar! It’s just way too sweet. Ketchup has enough sweetness as does the sweet pickle relish.
I had to add some dill pickle relish and a bit of salt to try to balance the sweetness.
I made this!!! DELICIOUS ? 10/10 <>
i replaced the relish with cooked onions and added some musterd and garlic pouder
no viniger
Adding chopped carmelized onions is a must and a dash of salt
Threw in a little salt to offset the sugar. Tastes amazing
The only thing I did differently was add extra mayo, and then added some salt. For me it was just a little too sweet. Either way it’s a great! Like I said if needed add some salt and after that it was PERFECT.
Love this recipe it comes out great every time!!!
Made burgers for dinner tonight and hesitantly thought I’d attempt this sauce because we love in an out so much… followed the ingredients and measurements to a T and wow!!!! My husband and I were so impressed! (I even sautéed the patties in mustard and caramelized onions the way they do with their animal style burger) so perfect thank you!!!
Yay! So glad you decided to give this recipe a try, Zaina.
Zaina, can you tell me how exactly you sautés the patties? Do you fry them first and then put them in a hot pan with just mustard in it? Or how do you do it? Sound delicious, but I’m not sure how to do this.
Brush both sides of the patty with a dash of mustard before putting it in the pan, high heat for 2 minutes on each side. You want super thin patties, and a flat weight if you have one to keep those patties down while they’re cooking. Enjoy!
In-N-Out secret sauce uses Walker Foods mustard in the recipe.
Great recipe! I use this every time I prepare hamburgers. This never fails to add that extra tasty kick.
I’m glad you enjoy it so much, Nicole.
I love this sauce great recipe and simple to make. I’ve never had in and out but either way this sauce is bomb thanks for a great go to burger and fries sauce
Thanks a lot!! Do you know for how long can i keep it on the fridge ?
Thanks
It should last up to a week, maybe more if kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
I have to be honest I haven’t tried this exactly, but sauce with sugar in it definitely didn’t sound good To me paired with sweet relish. I’m a tart person. (Extra raw onions on the burger). So I add dill pickle, and actually a little extra including the juices. Keep the vinegar, and if I feel like taking the time I will finely dice some onion, because after this has had time to marinate it tastes great, even with onions on the burger it’s a must.
My kids pretty much require this sauce on hand at all times, thought I would drop this comment as I prepare some more for tonight’s potato wedges.
I’m glad you were able to tweak it. Thanks for coming back and letting me know what you used.
Real Good 🙂
My son made it. It was delicious! Thank u for the recipe.
My family loved this on burgers! I left the sugar out because we thought it was sweet enough with the relish alone. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome, Nica.
Perfect! Spot on taste to make at home. Thank you, my family enjoys this often.
Thanks for the 5 stars!
So taste ? thank you
Like having In-N-Out all the way in the Midwest, thanks!
Glad you don’t have to miss out anymore, Anthony. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Tastes like the In N Out sauce!
brings me right back to Cali 🙂 thanks for the recipe!
Yum! Tastes just like In-N-Out’s spread!
It’s missing the caramelized onions which are crucial!!! I didn’t use sugar since I used sweet relish.
The onions are a separate topping from the sauce.
It’s okay, but definitely NOT the same as In-N-Out Burger’s sauce. To get closer to In-N-Out’s sauce, skip the sweet pickle relish and the white vinegar, and use finely diced Dill Pickle Relish and juice instead. Also drop the sugar to maybe a 1/4 teaspoon. I brought several packets of In-N-Out sauce home and did several taste tests, and the sauce is not sweet and had a hint of dry mustard as well. After rinsing the sauce through a colander and a coffee filter, it was definitely minced dill pickle that was left behind.
I’ll have to try this too..thanks!
agree, I added mustard and it tasted much closer
Damn, this is pretty much spot on.
We just recently moved from AZ to OH and I have been CRAVING this sauce for a while now. Just decided to make it out of the blue. Instead of using the sweet relish, I chopped up some pickle spears and we don’t have sugar so I had to do without. It still tastes amazing! Thanks!
Glad this helped to satisfy a craving. It’s tough when you move away from your favorites.
Hi Sabrina,
could you please tell me what is sweet pickle relish, I from South Africa.
Sweet pickle relish is mix of minced cucumbers, sweet red and green peppers brined in vinegar and a LOT of sugar. It is a popular condiment in the States, and has a tangy sweet taste.
I love this recipe and use it all the time now! I was wondering though, how long will it last in the fridge?
If stored in an air tight container, it should last up to a week maybe more. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is the exact recipe that the old Hydee Ho burgers had on them in the 60s
This was awesome! Thank you for sharing!
Made this tonight and this tastes nothing like in n out. Too much mayo, not enough vinegar or pickles.
I made it! Wow… tastes just like In-N-Out dressing. I should know. I am a regular at that burger place…LOL
Thank you so much for sharing. This recipe will now be part of my “go-to” recipes collection…
Awesome! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Exactly as advertised!
Made it tonight. Awesome and just like the In N Out sauce.0
I made this spread tonight and it was incredible. The flavor is 100% identical to In N Out’s spread. It really is quite awesome. Spot on recreation! Thanks!
Yay!! so glad you enjoyed it!
Loved it. Glad a friend shared this with me.
I grew up eating in n out and now live in a state that doesn’t have in n out.
So this is awesome 🙂
Thank you !
You’re welcome!
SO GOOD! I grew up having In & Out so close to home and we love this sauce. We honestly couldn’t taste a difference from the original thing! Thanks for sharing!
I grew up on these burgers. This recipe is close but try fine chopped dill pickles instead of sweet pickle relish and the dill pickle juice instead of white vinegar to get a closer taste.
I was hesitant in how this would turn out, however I was shocked at how amazing it was! The ratio is perfect. Highly recommend this recipe. I would always get extra packs of spread when going to N-N-Out so that I could use it on my own hamburgers. The taste of 1000 island dressing and N-N-Out spread are different for the record.
So glad you decided to try it!
Great composition. I have made a similar mock In’n’out sauce except that one had mustard. I could taste the mustard and didn’t think it should be there and, sure enough, same recipe without it and it was good. I prefer dill to sweet pickles personally.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this sauce all my life, we call it thousand island dressing, and can be found in any old cookbook under salad dressings. Or in a bottle in you local grocery store.
Not quite, there is a difference in some of the ratios, there are many people who say innout is just 1000 island dressing but there is a very unique taste that theirs has. Yes, similar, but still something different. This recipe is the copycat for the flavor of their sauce.
How great it is that you have so much spare time that you can pause and leave a rude and nasty note. Do you act this way every time you visit someone else’s home? If so, you probably don’t get invited over very often.
For cripe’s sake, it wasn’t rude. He simply said it wasn’t exactly the same.
This sauce sounds delicious. I think for me w/ fries would be really perfect. So easy to make too…
That looks amazing!! I will definitely try it! Yumm!!
My kid is always looking for a new sauce for fries. This will be perfect!
I have never been to In-N-Out but I would love to try this sauce!
Now you don’t have to miss out on all the amazingness!
I love this stuff! I love the idea of putting it on a meatloaf! Very creative!
Thanks! After one taste, you’ll want to put it on almost everything, haha!
I’m so sad that we don’t have In-N-Out Burgers here in Ohio… but now I can make the goodness at home!
Definitely!!
Yum! This sounds delicious! I will be making this sauce next time we have fries!
This was fantastic. I have an egg intolerance and often will put the side effects out of my mind to have spread, and not like one serving of spread, about three. I went to IN-N-OUT this afternoon bought fries and made this spread with vegan Mayo. So happy to have found this recipe. Will use a little less vinegar next time but super excited.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it! Having gone to college away from innout copycats became an emotional connection to home for me. I’m glad this brought In n Out home to you!