It's no surprise that everyone is obsessed with Shake Shack's signature Shake Shack Sauce. This tangy secret sauce is key to a delicious burger and although it's not the exact recipe (it's a closely guarded secret), it's pretty darn-close!
What is Shake Shack's Special Sauce?
This copycat shake shack sauce recipe is inspired by Kenji's hard researched work and adapted to my memory's taste.
As a big shake shack fan, I always ask for extra sauce. Whether I'm smearing it on a burger patty, drizzling it on hot dogs or dunking crispy fries in it, I'm constantly trying to piece together what makes this secret sauce so special.
Turns out, it's made with rather simple ingredients.
Based on Kenji's research, the ingredients are mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, dill pickles, pickle juice and a blend of spices.
Since their special sauce is smooth and creamy, I recommend making it in a food processor or blender to get the best results.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mayo - I recommend using either Kewpie Mayo or Duke's Mayonnaise. You want something that is rich and creamy and has a lot of body.
- Ketchup - There's an argument that the signature Shake Shack Sauce doesn't have ketchup but I honestly don't believe that. If you do, you can leave it out.
- Yellow mustard - People also say that their special sauce uses dijon mustard and not yellow mustard. I think you should use whichever one you like better. Swapping this ingredient won't make or break the sauce.
- Garlic powder - Since you only need a hint of garlic, I don't recommend using fresh garlic - just garlic powder.
- Paprika - This is mainly for color I guess but you could also add smoked paprika for a twist.
- Cayenne pepper - Since their sauce has just a little bit of heat, I feel confident you could swap out the touch of cayenne pepper for a tiny squirt of sriracha.
- Dill Pickles + Dill Pickle Brine - Kenji says that you should use dill pickle chips (which are the actual pickles used on shake shack's regular cheeseburger) but I only ever have spears on hand which is a totally fine substitution. After a little research, I found that they use Rick's Picks. These can be hard to find depending on where you live. With that said, I recommend using high quality pickles so you get the most delicious pickle juice possible. You could also use sweet pickle relish. But it will have a sweeter tang than the original copycat shack sauce.
- Optional Add-ins: Although I don't think you need to add in anything else. You might like to try adding a little lemon juice, your favorite type of vinegar, truffle oil, some black pepper, or even a pinch of kosher salt to make all the flavors pop.
How to Make it
Making Shake Shack's famous sauce is super easy. All you need to do is grab some mayo, ketchup, a little yellow mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
The best way to make it the same consistency is by pouring everything into a food processor (or blender or immersion blender). Blend the mix for a few minutes until it's light and airy and totally delicious.
You could also mince up the pickles very finely and add all the other ingredients to a small bowl if you don't want to deal with a food processor.
If you're not serving it right away, you could place this easy copycat recipe in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge.
What goes with it
Obviously the first thing that comes to mind are cast-iron skillet smash burgers with lots of melty cheese. Not only do I recommend smearing this delicious sauce all over your hamburger buns, but I also add a dollop of it on the ground beef itself. This helps to get more of a defined sear and a beautiful golden brown crust.
It would also be delicious on a burger bowl. Swap out traditional thousand island for with Shake Shack's famous sauce instead.
If you want more delicious burger inspired recipes, check some of my new recipes:
- Cheeseburger Spring Rolls - Inspired by Disney
- Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers
- Bulgogi Beef Smashburger Tacos
- Smash Burger Grilled Cheese with Gouda, Truffle Mayo & Caramelized Onions
- Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Yum Yum Sauce
Recipe
Shake Shack Sauce Recipe (Copycat Burger Sauce)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Mayo
- 4 teaspoon Ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Dill Pickle Spear finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Dill Pickle Brine
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor bowl, blender or a container for an immersion blender.
- Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
- If you're not serving it right away, keep it in airtight container in the fridge.
