Classic Fry Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
The famous sweet-and-tangy classic Fry Sauce recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to whip up and enhances your French fry and hamburger eating experience!ย If you’re hosting a backyard bbq, having some fry sauce along with our ultimate bbq sauce on hand is a must!
What is Fry Sauce?
Fry sauce is a very simple condiment made from combining equal amounts of ketchup and mayonnaise (or sometimes 1:2) and is served with French fries and hamburgers.ย Its popularity lies in its simplicity and people love it for its creamy and smooth texture and its savory and tangy flavor.
Fry Sauce is a staple of Western American comfort food.ย It is especially associated with the state of Utah where it originated and has come to be a hallmark of Utahn food culture.ย Don Carlos Edwards ran a food cart in Salt Lake City in the 1940’s and is credited with serving up the first fry sauce.ย He later opened the first Arctic Circle restaurant in the 1950’s, a chain that would spread through other areas of the West, and his famous fry sauce remained a popular condiment ever since.ย So popular in fact that the chain goes through nearly 50,000 gallons of fry sauce per year, or two gallons per day!
Other restaurants have created their own variations of fry sauce since Edwards created and made it popular, including adding such ingredients as pickle juice and Worcestershire sauce, but the original and most popular fry sauce remains the simple ketchup-mayo combo.
How to Use Fry Sauce
Fry sauce is most popularly served as a dipping sauce for French fries and is also slathered on hamburgers.ย It’s also great on sandwiches and wraps.ย I even know people who use it as a dip for potato chips.ย Let your own preferences and imagination lead the way.
How Long Does Fry Sauce Keep?ย
Made from just ketchup and mayonnaise, stored in an airtight container in the fridge it will keep for at least a month.ย It does not freeze well as it tends to separate when thawed.
Fry Sauce Recipe
Nothing could possibly be simpler or quicker to make:ย Place the mayonnaise and ketchup in a bowl along with any other ingredients/seasoning (if using), stir to combine, and serve!
As noted earlier, the original fry sauce recipe that’s still served at Arctic Circle restaurants is strictly equal parts of mayo and ketchup, nothing else.ย Other variations have since come along and include ingredients like pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, horseradish, bbq sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and garlic powder and/or onion powder.ย Feel free to include some of the these additions if you want to venture out from the original recipe for some some flavor variation.ย If you do add additional ingredients I recommend letting the sauce chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle before serving.
Serve with French fries, as a burger sauce, or on sandwiches and wraps.
Enjoy!
For more delicious homemade condiments be sure to try our:
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Ultimate BBQ Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Remoulade
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Jerk Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Romesco Sauce
Classic Fry Sauce
Ingredients
- The Original Fry Sauce Recipe:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Fry Sauce Variations:
- Add a dash or sprinkle of any combination of the following: Pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, creamy horseradish, bbq sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, or cayenne
Instructions
- Place the mayonnaise and ketchup in a bowl along with any other ingredients/seasoning (if using), and stir to combine. If using just ketchup and mayo you can serve it immediately. If using additional seasonings let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to mingle. Store in the fridge in an airtight container where it will keep for up to a month.