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 so delicious! It's a healthier version of McDonald's special sauce. The flavor is 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, wraps, or salads for amazing flavor and texture. It's also a great dipping sauce for oven fries and onion rings.
Ingredients for Vegan Big Mac Sauce
For this recipe, you'll 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. Adjust the amount of sweetness however you see fit.
- 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 and some pickle juice instead.)
- Salt: I use fine grain salt. You can also add black pepper to taste if desired.
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.
Blender note: I use a small NutriBullet for this easy recipe. A good high-powered blender works best to blend the sauce into a creamy consistency.
Serving
Burgers: Spoon this sauce over your favorite burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. One of my favorites 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 refrigerator. 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
- 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
- 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)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this vegan Big Mac Sauce recipe for burgers and fries, also check out:
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Terry D says
Bumpster is going to like this. Thanks!
Kaitlin says
Excellent!
Jennifer says
O-M-G!! This is the most amazing burger sauce!! I sampled it so many times that I seriously ran the risk of having nothing left to actually put on the burgers!! I'm sure you can already tell that I LOVED the flavours in the sauce, but I also loved how easy it was to make. I saved this recipe onto my Pinterest board as soon as you posted it...why oh why did I wait so long to finally make it?! 😁 This is definitely a must-make sauce for all!! It will be a staple for us for sure! Thanks SO much for this awesome recipe!
Kaitlin says
Haha, love to hear it, Jennifer! Your sweet comments always feel like a big, warm hug through the screen - thank you so much. Thrilled that you enjoyed the flavors of this, and would love to hear all the other creative ways you find to enjoy it in the future!
Jennifer says
This sauce is delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I used with a vegan burger and onion rings!
Kaitlin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Great call with the burger & onion rings pairing. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback!
Heidi says
SUPER tasty sauce! We used it on our homemade veggie burgers and loved the flavors. Really added that something special to our regular burger night. Will make again!
Kaitlin says
Excellent to hear, Heidi! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing.