The sauce is the reason you keep going back. It is the Chick-fil-A packet you hoard in the glove box, the Horsey Sauce that makes an Arby’s run worth it, the Campfire Sauce you’d happily buy by the bottle if Red Robin would sell it. The good news: nearly every one of these “secret” sauces is built from a handful of pantry staples, and once you know the ratios, a homemade batch is nearly impossible to tell from the original.
These are 10 of the best copycat restaurant sauce recipes on Fork To Spoon. Most take about five minutes and need nothing more than a bowl and a whisk; a couple simmer on the stove for 15 minutes and keep for weeks. Make one for burger night, a few for a wing platter, or the whole lineup for a dipping-sauce bar at your next party.
The 10 Best Copycat Restaurant Sauce Recipes
1. Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
The most-requested copycat sauce for a reason. Honey, yellow mustard, Dijon, BBQ sauce, mayo and a squeeze of lemon come together into that unmistakable sweet, smoky, tangy dip. Chill it for a couple of hours so the flavors meld, then serve with nuggets, waffle fries or grilled chicken.
Get the recipe: Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
2. Big Mac Sauce Copycat Recipe
Mayo, dill relish, yellow mustard, a little BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar and a pinch of garlic, onion and paprika. Mix, chill for an hour, and spread it on burgers, wraps and sliders. It also makes a great fry dip.
Get the recipe: Big Mac Sauce Copycat Recipe
3. Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce
Mayo and hickory BBQ sauce are the base, but brown mustard, honey, chipotle and smoked paprika are what earn the “campfire” name. Smoky, creamy and a little spicy in five minutes. Made for onion rings and bottomless fries.
Get the recipe: Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce
4. Arby’s Horsey Sauce Copycat Recipe
Five ingredients: mayo, prepared horseradish, white vinegar, sugar and salt. Smooth and tangy with just the right horseradish kick for roast beef sandwiches, burgers and fries.
Get the recipe: Arby’s Horsey Sauce Copycat Recipe
5. Popeyes Signature Sauce (Copycat)
Creamy, sweet, smoky and tangy. Mayo, ketchup, yellow mustard, honey and sweet BBQ sauce get a hit of vinegar, paprika, garlic, onion and cayenne. Whisk until glossy and serve with fried chicken or tenders.
Get the recipe: Popeyes Signature Sauce
6. Copycat KFC Honey Mustard Sauce
The classic 2:1 honey-to-mustard ratio with mayo for body, a splash of vinegar and a pinch of paprika. Smooth, tangy and perfectly sweet for dipping chicken, fries or veggies.
Get the recipe: Copycat KFC Honey Mustard Sauce
7. Outback Steakhouse Remoulade Sauce (Copycat)
The creamy, slightly spicy dip served with the Bloomin’ Onion. A mayo base sharpened with mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce and smoked paprika, ready in five minutes. Excellent with shrimp, crab cakes and fries too.
Get the recipe: Outback Steakhouse Remoulade Sauce
8. LongHorn’s Texas Tonion Dipping Sauce
Mayo and sour cream with ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce, garlic, paprika and cayenne. Smooth, pink and zesty, this is the sauce for blooming onions, fried bites and chicken tenders. Keeps 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
Get the recipe: LongHorn’s Texas Tonion Dipping Sauce
9. Texas Roadhouse Steak Sauce
A simmered steak sauce built on tomato paste, Worcestershire, soy sauce and brown sugar for a sweet, savory, slightly spicy finish. Lasts up to two weeks in the fridge and makes any grilled steak taste like a night out.
Get the recipe: Texas Roadhouse Steak Sauce
10. Red Lobster Tartar Sauce Copycat Recipe
Creamy and tangy with sweet relish and a touch of sugar, this is the tartar sauce that makes fried fish and shrimp disappear. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Get the recipe: Red Lobster Tartar Sauce Copycat Recipe
More Copycat Sauces Worth Making
Once you have the basics down, these are the next sauces to add to your rotation.
- Copycat Wendy’s Signature Sauce: creamy, tangy and subtly sweet for burgers and nuggets.
- Smashburger Smash Sauce: mayo, mustard and pickle brine, the easiest burger sauce you will ever make.
- Hardee’s Honey Mustard: yellow and Dijon mustard with honey and lemon.
- Denny’s Diner Q Sauce: a smoky BBQ-mayo burger sauce with relish and Worcestershire.
- Dairy Queen Flamethrower Sauce: mayo, sriracha, smoked paprika and honey for a spicy burger spread.
- Copycat Buc-ee’s BBQ Sauce: a sweet, smoky Texas-style sauce that simmers in 15 minutes.
- Copycat A1 Steak Sauce: tomato paste, Worcestershire, molasses and a surprising pinch of cinnamon.
- Copycat Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce: a no-cook sauce where marjoram is the secret ingredient.
- Olive Garden Creamy Mushroom Sauce: one skillet, 25 minutes, enough to coat 12 ounces of pasta.
- Arthur Treacher’s Remoulade Sauce and Arthur Treacher’s Tartar Sauce: two nostalgic seafood-shop classics.
For the full collection, see 40 of the Best Copycat Restaurant Sauce Recipes and 50 Dipping Sauces to Make at Home.
Tips for the Best Homemade Copycat Sauces
Use real, full-fat mayonnaise. Most of these sauces are mayo-based, and the brand matters. Hellmann’s or Best Foods gives the richest, closest-to-the-original result; light mayo makes a thinner, tangier sauce.
Let it rest. Nearly every no-cook sauce tastes a little disjointed straight from the bowl. Thirty minutes to an hour in the fridge (overnight for Big Mac and Cane’s-style sauces) lets the flavors meld.
Taste and adjust. Restaurant sauces are all about ratios. Add honey for sweetness, vinegar or lemon for tang, mustard for sharpness, and hot sauce or cayenne for heat, a little at a time.
Pick the right BBQ sauce. When a recipe calls for barbecue sauce, a sweet hickory-style sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s is a common pick) gets closest to the original flavor.
Store smart. Keep mayo-based sauces in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Simmered sauces like steak sauce and BBQ sauce last about two weeks. Do not freeze mayo-based sauces; they separate when thawed.
Double the batch for a party. Set out three or four sauces in small bowls with a label on each. Chick-fil-A, Campfire, Horsey and honey mustard cover almost anything on a game day table.
Copycat Sauce FAQs
What is the easiest copycat sauce to start with? Chick-fil-A sauce or Big Mac sauce. Both are stir-and-chill, use pantry staples and are hard to get wrong.
How long do homemade copycat sauces last? Most mayo-based sauces keep 5 to 7 days refrigerated. Cooked sauces such as steak sauce and BBQ sauce keep about two weeks in a sealed jar.
Can I make these sauces dairy-free or vegan? Yes. Swap in vegan mayonnaise and check that your BBQ sauce and Worcestershire are vegan-friendly.
Which sauces work for a burger bar? Big Mac sauce, Smash Sauce, Wendy’s Signature sauce, Diner Q sauce and Campfire sauce all shine on burgers. Add honey mustard and Horsey sauce for chicken and roast beef.
Do I need to cook any of these? Only the steak sauces, Buc-ee’s BBQ sauce and the Olive Garden mushroom sauce go on the stove. Everything else is whisked in a bowl.
