I finally perfected my Best Hamburger Sauce with dill pickle brine, smoked paprika, and one unexpected ingredient that turns it into the ideal companion for smashed and grilled burgers.
I used to think every burger was fine with just the basics, then I made a sauce that changed my mind. It’s creamy from mayonnaise and bright with sweet dill pickle relish, the kind that makes you pause and ask what the heck is that taste.
I never planned on copying a Hidden Valley Secret Sauce Recipe or chasing some viral Best Hamburger Sauce, but this one sneaks up on you, tangy and slightly smoky in ways I cant fully explain. I slather it on smashed or grilled burgers and suddenly dinner turns into a debate, people arguing over whose bite was best.
Ingredients
- Rich in fat and calories, almost no protein or fiber, gives creamy texture and richness.
- Tomato base gives flavor and lycopene, mostly sugars and carbs, makes sauce sweet.
- Crunchy, tangy, adds sweet sour pickle flavor, brings sodium and tiny fiber bits.
- Low calorie, tangy, a little sharpness, has mustard seeds and mild antioxidants.
- Umami powerhouse, fermented anchovy and spice notes, adds savory depth and salt.
- Pure acid, no calories, brightens and balances flavors, cuts through fat.
- A pinch gives smoky warmth, subtle sweetness, color and antioxidant vitamin A.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular, not low fat)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup, plain or fancy, whatever you’ve got
- 2 tablespoons sweet dill pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, for balance)
How to Make this
1. Measure into a medium bowl: 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise (not low fat), 2 tbsp ketchup (plain or fancy), 2 tbsp sweet dill pickle relish, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar or pickle juice, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp fine salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (optional).
2. Whisk or stir everything together until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom so nothing gets left behind.
3. If you want an ultra smooth texture, blitz briefly in a small food processor or use an immersion blender for 5 to 10 seconds.
4. Taste and tweak: add a little more vinegar or pickle juice for tang, more relish for chunk and sweetness, or a pinch more sugar to balance if it tastes too sharp.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld; overnight is even better, but if you’re impatient dont worry its fine to use right away.
6. Give the sauce one last stir before serving, check the seasoning again since cold can dull flavors.
7. Slather on smashed or grilled burgers, use as a dip for fries, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Equipment Needed
1. Medium mixing bowl, about 2 to 3 quarts
2. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
3. Whisk or fork for mixing
4. Rubber spatula or spoon for scraping the sides and bottom
5. Small food processor or immersion blender, optional if you want it ultra smooth but its fine to skip
6. Airtight container or jar with a lid for chilling and storing
7. Refrigerator to chill the sauce at least 30 minutes
FAQ
Smashburger Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Mayonnaise (1/2 cup): swap with full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, 1:1. They’ll make it tangier and a bit thinner, but still creamy. For dairy-free use avocado mayo or vegan mayo same amount.
- Ketchup (2 tbsp): use tomato paste + a pinch sugar and a little water to loosen (about 1 tbsp paste + tiny sugar + splash water per tbsp), or use BBQ sauce equal amount for smokier flavor, or sriracha if you want heat but use less.
- Sweet dill pickle relish (2 tbsp): chop regular dill pickles about 2 tbsp and add a pinch sugar to mimic sweetness, or swap in finely chopped bread and butter pickles same amount for sweeter notes. Capers work for briny pop but use half the amount.
- Yellow mustard (1 tbsp): Dijon or spicy brown mustard work 1:1 (Dijon is sharper). If you dont have any prepared mustard mix 1 tsp mustard powder with 1 tsp water + pinch salt as a quick stand-in.
Pro Tips
1) Let it rest. Even 30 minutes helps but overnight is way better, flavors really mellow and marry together. Taste it after chilling though, cold stuff can taste dull so you might need a tiny splash more vinegar or a pinch more salt.
2) Want it super smooth or a bit chunky? Whisk hard or blitz briefly with an immersion blender for velvety texture, or fold in an extra spoonful of relish at the end if you want chunks. Do the smoothing first then add chunks so you dont overwork the relish.
3) Balance small changes, dont dump stuff in all at once. Add acid or sugar a little at a time and taste between additions because a little goes a long way. If it tastes flat try a few drops of pickle juice or vinegar, if its too sharp add a pinch of sugar.
4) Make ahead and store smart. Keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge and give it one last stir before using, flavors shift a bit with time. Also use a clean spoon every time so it stays fresh longer.
Smashburger Sauce Recipe
I finally perfected my Best Hamburger Sauce with dill pickle brine, smoked paprika, and one unexpected ingredient that turns it into the ideal companion for smashed and grilled burgers.
8
servings
105
kcal
Equipment: 1. Medium mixing bowl, about 2 to 3 quarts
2. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
3. Whisk or fork for mixing
4. Rubber spatula or spoon for scraping the sides and bottom
5. Small food processor or immersion blender, optional if you want it ultra smooth but its fine to skip
6. Airtight container or jar with a lid for chilling and storing
7. Refrigerator to chill the sauce at least 30 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular, not low fat)
2 tablespoons ketchup, plain or fancy, whatever you've got
2 tablespoons sweet dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar or pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, for balance)
Directions
- Measure into a medium bowl: 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise (not low fat), 2 tbsp ketchup (plain or fancy), 2 tbsp sweet dill pickle relish, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar or pickle juice, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp fine salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (optional).
- Whisk or stir everything together until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom so nothing gets left behind.
- If you want an ultra smooth texture, blitz briefly in a small food processor or use an immersion blender for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Taste and tweak: add a little more vinegar or pickle juice for tang, more relish for chunk and sweetness, or a pinch more sugar to balance if it tastes too sharp.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld; overnight is even better, but if you're impatient dont worry its fine to use right away.
- Give the sauce one last stir before serving, check the seasoning again since cold can dull flavors.
- Slather on smashed or grilled burgers, use as a dip for fries, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 23g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 105kcal
- Fat: 10.3g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.3g
- Monounsaturated: 6.3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Sodium: 247mg
- Potassium: 26mg
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Sugar: 1.8g
- Protein: 0.4g
- Vitamin A: 40IU
- Vitamin C: 0.3mg
- Calcium: 8mg
- Iron: 0.1mg
