How To Make Fry Sauce

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the…read more
updated Aug 26, 2022
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Steak fries with a dipping sauce
Credit: Joe Lingeman

Last year my family relocated from Atlanta, Georgia, to Boise, Idaho. Idaho, of course, is the potato capital of the western United States, growing one-third of the nation’s Russet potatoes. Naturally, they take their french fries very seriously. Order fries at any restaurant or drive-thru and they’ll ask you the following question: “Fry sauce?”

This pink-hued sauce falls somewhere between commonplace condiment and cult food obsession with every chef and local claiming to have a favorite, secret recipe.

For those unfamiliar with fry sauce, this condiment is traditionally a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise flavored with everything from black pepper to garlic to horseradish. The resulting sauce is always rich and creamy with tons of tang and a back bite of spicy, peppery goodness. Basically, it’s the perfect dip for salty, freshly fried potatoes. Here’s how to make it at home if you never make it to Idaho.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

American Fry Sauce Was Born in Salt Lake City

Idahoans take fry sauce pretty seriously, so it was quite humorous to me to learn that American fry sauce has a history that tracks its modern birth to Salt Lake City in the 1940s. To be sure, similar sauces exist throughout the world — mayoketchup is Puerto Rican, salsa golf or salsa rosado is South American, and even the French cocktail sauce bears a striking resemblance to fry sauce — but the American adaption is credited to the proprietor of Arctic Circle restaurants, Don Carlos Edwards.

Edwards mixed up the condiment at his original Salt Lake City restaurant, Don Carlos Barbecue, by combining his white sauce with ketchup and serving it on everything from burgers to fries.

For Your Information

  • Since this sauce is based primarily on ketchup and mayonnaise, choose your favorite of each of these.
  • Fry sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.

The One Key Step for Even Better Fry Sauce

Use pickle juice! Arctic Circle claims that their fry sauce recipe doesn’t include pickle juice, but I’ve found this ingredient to be the secret shortcut to fry sauce that is deeply savory, tangy, and just a touch sweet.

Storing and Serving Fry Sauce

Obviously, fry sauce is destined for fries, but keep it around for burgers and use it as a dressing for baked potatoes and salads alike.

Maybe the only homemade fries you need: How To Make Steak Fries

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How To Make Fry Sauce

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 2 cups

    mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup

    ketchup

  • 1 tablespoon

    pickle brine, preferably from bread and butter pickles

  • 1 teaspoon

    Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    smoked paprika

  • Pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

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  1. Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and seasonings. Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

  2. Refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes. Cover the sauce and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but preferably 8 hours.

  3. Serve with fries. Serve the sauce cold with hot fries for dipping.

Recipe Notes

Storage: The sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.