Vegan Big Mac Sauce (No Mayo!)

This vegan "Big Mac Sauce" copycat recipe is made healthier without mayo! Use this creamy vegan burger sauce on a variety of burgers or as a flavorful dipping sauce for fries. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

This vegan "Big Mac Sauce" recipe is a healthier version of McDonald's classic special sauce. It's slightly sweet, tangy, and deliciously creamy.

Plus it's made with whole food, plant-based ingredients (no mayo!) and is dairy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free.

Spoon it over your favorite veggie burger patties for wonderful flavor and texture!

Ingredients for Vegan Big Mac Sauce

For this recipe you will blend in a high-speed blender:

• Raw cashews: You'll need a half cup of raw, unsalted cashews. We'll soak them first to help soften and blend into a creamier sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar: Or you can substitute white vinegar if needed.
• Dijon mustard: I like the flavor of Dijon, but yellow mustard could also work.
• Pure maple syrup: I use this as a natural sweetener to help balance the flavors.
• Dried onion powder: As always, be sure your pantry spices are fresh (not expired) for best flavor.
• Dried garlic powder
• Smoked paprika: I like the flavor of smoked paprika, but you could substitute regular sweet paprika instead if desired.
• Sweet pickle relish: We will stir this in after blending the sauce. I use the "Field Day" brand organic pickle relish which doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or synthetic colors. (You could also substitute chopped dill pickles instead.)
• Salt: I use fine grain salt. You can also add black pepper to taste if desired.

Blender note: I use a small Nutribullet for this recipe. A good high-powered blender works best to blend the sauce into a creamy consistency.

Customizing

Cashew-free: Feel free to omit the cashews and use the more traditional vegan mayo (or plain & unsweetened vegan yogurt) for the creamy base instead.

Flavors: For different flavor variations, add a little ketchup, BBQ sauce, or even hot sauce to the mixture before blending. You can also slightly adjust the vinegar, mustard, or spices to better suit your taste.

Serving

Burgers: Spoon this sauce over any of your favorite burgers, or even on wraps and sandwiches. My favorite is the Southwest Black Bean Burger pictured above!

Dipping sauce: Change it up and dip your French fries, oven fries, or potato wedges in this creamy sauce.

Dressing: Drizzle it over a vegan burger bowl or burger salad for a flavor-rich dressing.

Storing

Store any leftovers in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 4-5 days.

For more inspiration, also browse all vegan sauce + seasoning recipes.

Vegan Big Mac Sauce (No Mayo!)

A creamy "Big Mac Sauce" copycat made healthier without mayo! Use it on burgers or as a flavorful dipping sauce for fries.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 4 (1/4-cup servings)

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked*)
• 1/3 cup water (or more as needed)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)
• 3 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish (or chopped dill pickle)

Instructions

• Place all ingredients (except pickle relish) in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add a splash more water if needed to thin to desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors if needed.
• Stir in pickle relish.

Notes

*Soaking cashews: Before blending, soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Then drain and rinse before using. Alternatively, you can "quick soak" the cashews: Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl and carefully add hot/boiling water until cashews are covered. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Then rinse and drain.

Yield: Recipe makes about 1 cup sauce.

Storing: Store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Big Mac Sauce (No Mayo!)

Amount per Serving

Calories

120

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

4

g

Potassium

 

141

mg

4

%

Carbohydrates

 

12

g

4

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

263

IU

5

%

Vitamin C

 

0.3

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

16

mg

2

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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If you're enjoying this vegan Big Mac Sauce recipe for burgers and fries, also check out:

• Vegan Cashew Queso
• Cashew Basil Pesto (Oil-Free)

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