Easy Smashburger Sauce (with my Secret Ingredient)

Share on Social!

This easy smashburger sauce is a perfect blend of tangy, savory, slightly sweet flavor to compliment your smash burgers – or any burger that needs a boost! With a few simple ingredients, and one that makes a HUGE difference, this burger sauce is easy to whip up anytime you’re firing up the grill.

What Sauce Goes Good with Smash Burgers?

What makes a smash burger special is the crispy outer crust of the pressed burger patty (the byproduct of the Maillard reaction) and the richness that you get from smashing the beef and allowing it to fry in it’s own fat. And that fantastic beefy richness deserves a special sauce.

Yes, classic mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard are great – but when added to the burger separately, they taste like you’re everyday, run-of-the-mill thick burger that you get at your neighbor’s backyard cookout.

But when you mix the “big 3” burger condiments together and add in a few common seasonings and flavor “enhancers”, you get a sauce that’s worthy of such a delicious burger. A sauce that contains your basic backyard mayo, ketchup, and mustard, but tastes nothing like the three.

My Secret Sauce Ingredient

One of the most under-utilized ingredients, in my opinion, is the humble horseradish. I add it to ranch dressing and my favorite cream sauce for prime rib, so of course I thought to mix it into this smashburger sauce recipe also.

The prepared horseradish provides an extra punch that subtly dials up the notch on the flavor meeter. This sauce is still delicious without the horseradish if you’re not a fan, but adding just a tablespoon or two makes it go from good to great, and you can’t really put your finger on exactly what makes it so. Sort of how MSG is a “flavor enhancer” for many Asian dishes.

I prefer to use prepared horseradish, not the creamy horseradish which is more mild and diluted with other ingredients like mayo.

How to Make Smash Burger Sauce

As with most homemade sauces and dressings, this burger sauce is incredibly easy to make. Simply add all ingredients to a medium bowl, and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make-Ahead and Storage

You can make this smashburger sauce a day ahead so that the flavors have time to marry and deepen in the fridge. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The sauce will stay good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

What Can I Use Smashburger Sauce For?

Besides the obvious smashburgers, this delicious burger sauce can be used for other types of sandwiches, tacos, and wraps as well. Here are just a few ideas:

• Smashburger Tacos – The creamy, tangy sauce is perfect for these Big Mac-style smash tacos.
• Smashburger Tortilla Skewers – The sauce makes the perfect dipping sauce, complimenting the fatty, crispy beef in the skewers.
• French Fries and Onion Rings – Use leftover sauce for the perfect condiment for your fried side dishes!
• Regular Grilled Burgers – Not just for the thin and crispy smashburgers, this easy burger sauce is great for regular grilled or skillet burgers as well.