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!)
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
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
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