Smash burger sauce is a quick mayonnaise-based condiment made with ketchup, Dijon mustard, pickle relish, and two pantry seasoning powders. Stir it in one bowl and refrigerate until serving. This formula makes roughly three-quarter cup before allowing for mixing losses, enough for about twelve tablespoon portions. Start lightly with salt because mayonnaise, mustard, and relish already contribute seasoning. A short optional refrigerator rest lets the dry spices hydrate before you spread it.
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Why This Recipe Works
Smash burger sauce gets a creamy base from prepared mayonnaise and small pieces of pickle from relish. Ketchup adds sweetness and color, while Dijon brings sharper mustard flavor than a plain ketchup-and-mayo blend. The measured additions keep it thick enough to spread on a bun.
The garlic and onion powders distribute better when stirred thoroughly into the wet ingredients. There is no cooking stage, so the finished mixture should stay refrigerated rather than sitting near the hot griddle while you prepare burgers. Use a clean spoon for portioning each time.
Ingredients for Smash Burger Sauce
Choose commercially prepared mayonnaise for smash burger sauce, plus regular ketchup, Dijon, and pickle relish. Sweet relish makes a sweeter condiment; dill relish keeps it tangier. Avoid pouring a pool of extra pickle brine into the bowl unless you want a thinner sauce. The teaspoon each of garlic and onion powders is a seasoning amount, not a tablespoon or a whole packet.
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (commercially prepared)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle relish (sweet or dill relish; avoid extra loose brine)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- to taste salt and pepper (taste first because condiments contain salt)
How to Make Smash Burger Sauce
Measure the half cup mayonnaise into a small bowl. Add the ketchup and Dijon, then the tablespoon relish. Stir from the center outward until the mustard and ketchup disappear into a uniform color, leaving only the expected relish pieces.
Scatter the garlic and onion powders over the surface rather than dropping them in one large lump. Mix thoroughly and scrape the sides of the bowl. Smash burger sauce should have no dry powder pockets that make one spoonful much stronger than another.
Taste using a clean spoon, then add a small amount of salt and pepper only if needed. The ingredients vary by brand and relish style, so do not add a large fixed salt amount before tasting. Avoid repeatedly dipping a used tasting spoon back into the bowl.
Cover and refrigerate smash burger sauce until the burgers or sandwiches are ready. An optional fifteen-minute rest can mellow a dry-spice edge; that holding time is separate from the five-minute mixing estimate. Stir once again before portioning if it has been resting.
Spread onto the bun shortly before assembly, or portion a little into a serving dish. Keep the main storage container refrigerated, especially during outdoor cooking. Do not transfer leftover table sauce back into the clean batch if it has been touched by used utensils.
How to Serve
Use smash burger sauce on beef patties, burger tacos, or a burger bowl. Start with about a tablespoon and add more only if desired, since it already includes both mustard and ketchup flavors. It can also accompany cooked potatoes as a dip. Bread, meat, and other toppings are separate recipes; this condiment does not establish the cooking temperature or preparation time of the burger itself.
Storage
Store smash burger sauce in a clean covered container at 40°F or colder and use within three to four days for a small freshly mixed batch. Follow any shorter relevant ingredient label instruction. Refrigerate within two hours of serving, or one hour above 90°F. Portion what you need into a separate dish instead of warming the whole container repeatedly. Freezing can separate the mayonnaise mixture and is not a useful texture-preserving option.
Use clean utensils and refrigerate the mayonnaise-based mixture. See FDA guidance on handling and chilling perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
For smash burger sauce, keep relish pieces small enough to spread comfortably. If yours has a lot of loose liquid, measure the relish with the excess brine left behind. A switch from sweet to dill relish changes flavor even though the amount remains one tablespoon.
Do not advertise the sauce as a particular restaurant’s exact formula; it is the listed mayonnaise, Dijon, and relish mixture. Optional spicy additions can be offered to individual portions. Stir gently but thoroughly, and use a container small enough that the finished batch is easy to keep covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this need cooking?
No. Smash burger sauce is mixed from prepared condiments and kept cold until serving.
Can I use sweet or dill relish?
Yes. Sweet relish gives a sweeter result, while dill relish makes the sauce tangier.
How much does it make?
About three-quarter cup, or roughly twelve tablespoon portions, depending on measuring and mixing losses.
Can it stay beside the grill?
Keep the main container refrigerated and put only the serving amount out for a short period.
Is the resting time required?
No. Smash burger sauce can be served after mixing; an optional fifteen-minute chilled rest is extra time.
More Recipes to Try
- The BEST Homemade Smash Burgers
- Smash Burger Tacos with Cheese, Pickles, and Tomatoes
- Smash Burger Bowl
- Smashburger Quesadillas
Smash Burger Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise commercially prepared
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle relish sweet or dill relish; avoid extra loose brine
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- to taste salt and pepper taste first because condiments contain salt
Instructions
- Place measured mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon, and relish in a clean bowl. Stir to an even color.
- Add garlic and onion powders, blend fully, and taste with a clean spoon before seasoning lightly.
- Cover and refrigerate until needed. Optional 15-minute chilling is separate. Stir before serving about 12 tablespoon portions.
