In-N-Out Burger Spread Sauce Recipe (Copycat)

by Sabrina Snyder

Published on Last updated

88 Comments

4.84 from 37 votes
6 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
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The best In-N-Out Burger Spread Sauce copycat recipe for the famous creamy, tangy burger sauce. It is easy to make and the perfect topping for burgers, fries, and more.

Whether you want to recreate the infamous In-N-Out Double Cheeseburgers and Animal Style Fries, or you just want to take Burgers and Sandwiches to the next level, this Copycat recipe is sure to be a family favorite!

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Sabrina’s In-n-Out Burger Spread Recipe

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into a juicy In-N-Out burger, then you know that one of the keys to its irresistible flavor lies in the iconic sauce. This is a perfect copycat recipe that captures all the goodness of the tangy, signature sauce. The best part of making it at home means you can use that iconic spread on your favorite recipes!

This creamy, tangy secret sauce copycat will elevate your homemade burgers and fries to a whole new level! I also love to serve it as a dip for Onion Rings and Chicken Fingers, this homemade In-N-Out sauce is exactly what your dinner dishes need.

Key Ingredients 

  • Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise serves as the base of the spread, lending richness and a creamy texture. Use a good quality mayo for a rich and creamy sauce. You can also swap out the regular mayonnaise for low-fat mayo for a lighter spread.
  • Ketchup: The tangy tomato base and subtle sweetness of ketchup contribute to the signature flavor profile of In-N-Out Burger Spread. The tomato flavor also adds depth to the sauce without overpowering it.
  • Sweet Pickle Relish: Will add another unique and delightful combination of sweetness and tang to the sauce. It consists of finely chopped sweet pickles that have been preserved in vinegar, and adds a fresh, sour note.
  • Sugar: A little sugar will balance the tanginess of the ketchup, pickle relish, and vinegar. It helps round out the flavors for a delicious, burger spread with lots of depth.
  • White Vinegar: Adding a little vinegar will balance the tangy, tartness of this delicious hamburger sauce. You could also use apple cider vinegar to add some more sweet, floral notes.

How to Make

  1. Mix:

    In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, sugar, sweet pickle relish, ketchup and vinegar, stir well until you have a smooth sauce.The sauce ingredients in a small bow unmixed

  2. Chill:

    Cover the bowl and let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This will enhance the flavors.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

In-N-Out Burger Spread

The best In-N-Out Burger Spread copycat recipe for the famous creamy tangy burger secret sauce. Perfect topping for burgers, fries and more.
Yield 6 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Burger sauce on a burger with fries in background.
PrintRate

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

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 23mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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Chef’s Note: A go-to condiment!

The best part about this classic burger sauce recipe, besides the amazing flavor of course, is how easy it is to make with simple ingredients you already have in your pantry right now. All you need is mayonnaise, ketchup, sugar, sweet relish, and white vinegar. It all gets whipped together, then you let it chill for a bit to really develop all that signature flavor, then it’s ready to serve on all your burgers, sandwiches, fries, and more.

Serving suggestions

  • Dipping: This burger spread can (and should!) be used as a dipping sauce for French Fries, onion rings, veggies, Chicken Tenders and more!
  • Kebabs: During the summer, use this sauce as a marinade and glaze for chicken kebabs. Marinate the chicken pieces in the sauce for an hour or two. Make skewers with chicken, red bell peppers, tomatoes and onions. Brush more sauce over the kebabs during the last minutes of cooking and serve with even more sauce.
  • Beef Dishes: Stir some of this delicious sauce into your favorite Sloppy Joe mixture or smother your Meatloaf with it instead of the normal tomato sauce mixture.
  • Topping: Of course you can slather this on your burgers, but what about hot dogs?! YUM! Or try this sauce on a Reuben Sandwich instead of 1000 Island Dressing. 

Can This Be Made Ahead?

Yes, you can make this sauce ahead of time! In fact, it’s even better when the flavors have had time to develop. Prepare the sauce as instructed, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.

FAQ

Why is it called In-N-Out?

The name n-N-Out reflects the fast-food chain’s commitment to providing quick service and fresh food. The term In-N-Out signifies the efficiency of their drive-thru system, where customers can order, receive their food, and be on their way in a short amount of time. Additionally, it reflects their emphasis on using fresh ingredients and preparing food made-to-order, which is what made them stand out and become a household name.

Can you freeze copycat In-N-Out sauce?

It is not recommended to freeze mayo-based sauces like this one as the texture and consistency may change upon thawing, resulting in a separation or grainy texture. It is best to store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or make it fresh.

Does In-N-Out Sauce have mustard?

No, the traditional In-N-Out Burger Spread does not contain mustard as an ingredient. The secret sauce recipe is of course secret, but the signature tangy flavor does not come from mustard, instead it’s from pickle and vinegar.

Are there pickles in the In-N-Out spread?

Yes. Sweet pickle relish, which is made from finely chopped sweet pickles, is one of the key ingredients in the signature sauce, providing a sweet and tangy flavor.

Is there a substitute for sweet pickle relish?

If you don’t have sweet pickle relish on hand, you can substitute it with finely chopped sweet pickles or bread and butter pickles to achieve a similar flavor and crunch.

What is the difference between In-N-Out Sauce and 1000 Island Dressing?

While they share some similarities, there are notable differences. In-N-Out Spread has a creamier texture, with the tanginess of ketchup and the sweetness of sweet pickle relish shining through. In contrast, Thousand Island dressing often contains additional ingredients like finely chopped onions, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, resulting in a more complex savory taste.

How to Store

  • Serve: You want to let the sauce chill for at least an hour in the fridge, but ideally 3-4 hours (or overnight) so that it has time to blend all the flavors. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours though.
  • Store: To store In-N-Out Burger Spread, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  • Freeze: Since this sauce has mayonnaise in it, you do not want to freeze it. The mayo will separate and the texture won’t be creamy when thawed. 

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Variations 

  • Spicy Kick: Add a dash of hot sauce, pinch of cayenne pepper, or some red pepper flakes to the special sauce recipe to give this burger spread a fiery kick.
  • Smoky: Incorporate a teaspoon of liquid smoke to infuse the sauce with a delightful smoky flavor, reminiscent of grilled burgers. You could also add some paprika to add a sweeter smoky flavor.
  • Garlic: Enhance the flavor of this creamy, tangy sauce with the boldness of garlic by adding a clove of finely minced garlic or a teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Savory: Make this sauce more like thousand island dressing by adding some Worcestershire sauce to the mix and replacing the sweet pickle relish with regular relish or chopped up pickles. Mustard would taste yummy too!
Assembled double cheeseburger with sauce and animal style fries.

More Copycat Sauce Recipes

Collage of ingredients in bowl and mixed sauce.
Bowl of spread and fries.
Spread in bowl with plate of french fries.
Collage of making sauce

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Wow does this hit the ball out of the park! My family absolutely LOVED this sauce and asked for more. The only thing I did not add was the additional sugar since some had commented about there being sugar in ketchup already. Overall, 5 stars and will be keeping a bottle in the fridge!

    Reply

    1. This comment made my day DeijaNay! Thank you for taking the time to write and for the five star review.

      Reply

    1. Oh oh. Well, that can happen with copycat recipes. Feel free to cut back on the vinegar next time you try the recipe. Appreciate your feedback Cathryn!

      Reply

  4. This looks fine, but I’d leave out the extra sugar. Ketchup already has enough sugar in it. I also use a small amount of mustard, and spice it up with some Sriracha.

    Reply