Smashburger Smash Sauce

In the restaurant world, burger lovers everywhere are excited about the revitalization of the traditional burger. It seems like places are finally giving the hamburger the respect it deserves.

Smashburger is one of my favorite places to get a hamburger, and they have this delicious sauce, the Smash Sauce, that is hard to beat. This special sauce is wonderful on a burger but also makes for a great dipping sauce for fries and much more.

homemade Smashburger Smash Sauce and hamburgers


This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Smashburger Burgers

Smashburger’s hamburger patties are not your typical burgers. What makes them unique is how the cooks press the patties thin on the grill and fry them long enough to develop a crispy crust before serving them on a soft bun.

But no Smashburger is complete without a large dollop of Smash Sauce. The sauce’s creaminess, tempered by good acidity, perfectly complements the thin, crispy burger patty. Check out the following Smash Sauce recipe to make your own at home!

What is Smash Sauce?

Smash Sauce is a simple mayonnaise-based sauce with plenty of yellow mustard thrown into the mix, a few chopped dill pickles, and some pickle juice for an additional tang. A splash of vegetable oil helps bring the whole sauce together, and then it goes into the fridge for at least four hours to let the flavors mingle.

This may be the best burger sauce, but is excellent for more than just burgers. Use it instead of ketchup for fries or onion rings. Replace your sandwich mayo with this tangy sauce. It’s a sauce you should have on hand and other condiments.

Ingredients for Smash Sauce

Here’s what you need to make Smashburger smashsauce:

  • Mayonnaise – gives you the creamy base of the sauce 
  • Yellow prepared mustard – gives you the sharp tang of this sauce 
  • Pickle juice – gives just the right amount of acidity to make the flavors shine through 
  • Dill pickle – this gives both flavor and texture to the sauce 
  • Vegetable oil – this is added so the sauce will have the consistency.
Smashburger Smash Sauce ingredients in bowls

Ingredient Notes

The Smash Sauce recipe calls for prepared yellow mustard, and while you certainly can use any bottle of yellow mustard you have on hand, people have strong opinions regarding which type is the best.

Many believe that French’s brand mustard is essential for the most authentic-tasting sauce. A few insist you can only mimic the taste of the real sauce by using French’s Dijon mustard.

Experiment and see which type of yellow mustard you like the best in this Smash Sauce recipe.

How to Make Smash Sauce

Here are the two simple steps for making smash burger sauce:

  1. Place chopped dill pickles, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and 2 teaspoons of dill pickle juice in a small bowl.
Smashburger Smash Sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl
  1. Stir well to combine the ingredients and let it rest in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
a bowl of homemade Smashburger Smash Sauce and three burgers

Making a Smashburger-Style Burger

While smash sauce is excellent on ordinary burgers, french fries, or just about anything, it shines when served on top of a Smashburger-style burger. Making the homemade Smashburger-style hamburgers goes against every rule of burger-making, but somehow, they always make a delicious burger.

If you want to make a Smashburger-style burger at home, follow these smash burger recipe steps:

  1. Form the ground beef into 4-ounce pucks. Let the formed patties sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat a large skillet, cast iron skillet, or griddle over medium heat as the patties come to room temperature. To get the best results, you need to have enough hot surface area to give yourself enough room to squish the patties without coming into contact with each other.
  3. Season the thin beef patties liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. Increase the heat to high, and lay the patties on the cooking surface with at least three inches of space surrounding each one.
  5. Use a sturdy big flat spatula, the kind without any slots, to flatten the patty. You can use another spatula to help you to apply enough pressure.
  6. Cook for 90 seconds.
  7. Use the spatula to scrape the patty cleanly from the cooking surface and flip.
  8. Add a slice of American cheese if you want, and cook on the other side for just 30 seconds.
  9. Place directly on a prepared bun, I highly recommend a brioche bun if you can find them. 
  10. Add your favorite toppings, such as iceberg lettuce and tomato slices if desired.

Tips For Serving and Storing Smashburger Sauce

  • Spread the sauce directly on the bun. Spread half the sauce on the top bun and the other half on the bottom bun. This trick will not only evenly distribute the flavor but will help protect the bun from getting soggy.
  • Keep in the fridge in an airtight container. The sauce should stay fresh for about two weeks.

You can stay in the loop by friending us on Facebook!

a bowl of homemade smash sauce, a burger, tomato slices, and lettuce

Love Burgers? Check out these recipes

Be sure to take a look at more of my copycat fast-food recipes and easy sauce recipes.

homemade Smashburger Smash Sauce and hamburgers

Smashburger Smash Sauce

Enjoy the rich flavor that only Smashburger’s Smashsauce can deliver. 
4.88 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Smashburger Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 14
Calories: 84kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup yellow prepared mustard
  • 2 teaspoons pickle juice
  • 2 teaspoons chopped dill pickle
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  • In a small bowl combine chopped dill pickles, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and 2 teaspoons of dill pickle juice.
  • Stir well, and let rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Yellow prepared mustard is the normal mustard that you would have on any hot dog or hamburger.
  • The dill pickle juice is critical for the recipe, the sauce has a sour tang, but not too many pickles, so this is how we get this wonderful dill flavor.
  • A touch of vegetable oil is needed because the sauce is thin, and you can’t really thin this one with water.
  • This sauce is perfect on a hamburger and makes a wonderful sauce to dip your french fries into.

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

REVEALED: Copycat Secrets for 2023

free email bonus

Yes, you CAN make it at home! I'll show you how.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Victor Abdo

    Sorry Stephanie, that’s not it, but anyone can visit and ask at the restaurant, there are approximately 400 locations nationwide (www.smashburger.com) And many other great food items. Be prepared to get hooked.

  2. Eric

    4 stars
    Just ate at the one in Bentonville Arkansas. The girl working there told us exactly what was in it. Mustard, mayo, pickle relish, lemon juice. No big proprietary secret. I don’t know why you’d come up with something else that doesn’t really come close as it’s two opposing tastes.

  3. Mcgeemj

    Just so you know as a former Smasher, you have almost the exact recipe short of the lemon juice. That is what gives it that extra tang. And according to th e founder of Smashburger, French’s mustard is the only mustard allowed in smashsauce.

  4. Rick

    I don’t know about the recipe above, but If the it’s the same smash sauce I had yesterday, it’s missing the horseradish I tasted in the sauce.

  5. Liz Nelson

    5 stars
    I love smashburger I went in recently for the first time and fell in love with their burgers! The sauce is defintely what makes the burger! My family will love that I can make this at home now! Thank you for posting this!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




homemade Olive Garden Asiago Torgelloni Alfredo with chicken on a plate

Copycat Recipe Secrets for 2024

REVEALED:

Yes, you CAN make it at home! 
I'll show you how.

FREE EMAIL BONUS