This Vegan Burger Sauce has the classic flavor you love, made with simple pantry staples. It tastes like you grabbed it from a drive-thru!
Made without eggs or oil, this special sauce can be used in several different ways. Spread it over your favorite veggie burger for a vegan Big Mac, use it on sandwiches, serve it as a dip with fries, or drizzle it over a salad for delicious gluten-free comfort food.
This recipe is naturally dairy-free, yet ultra-creamy. Once you taste it, you may want to eat it straight from the bowl!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This special sauce gets its creaminess from raw cashews instead of vegan mayo. If you can’t eat nuts, you can also use hemp hearts with similar results.
Using tomato paste instead of ketchup keeps this sauce refined-sugar-free. When you pair it with yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup, it tastes remarkably like the real thing!
How to Make Vegan Burger Sauce
In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, vinegar, yellow mustard, maple syrup, tomato paste, onion powder, and salt. Secure the lid and blend until very smooth, about 60 seconds.
Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again, to make sure you haven’t missed any cashew pieces. Taste the burger sauce and make any adjustments, as needed.
If you would like a smoky flavor, try adding a pinch of smoked paprika. For more of a tangy flavor, add a little more vinegar or a splash of pickle juice. (Sweet pickle relish or dill relish can also be added if you keep that in the fridge.)
Once the sauce is done, pour it into a glass jar with an airtight lid. This vegan special sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to a week! It will thicken when chilled, so you may need to stir in a tablespoon of water to make the consistency runny again.
Spread it generously on a bun and serve with your favorite burger patties, like my vegan black bean burgers. It also makes a delicious dip for french fries!
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have vinegar?
You can use lemon juice or dill pickle juice as a swap for the vinegar in this recipe. Keep in mind that you might need to add slightly more than the recipe calls for in this case, as they aren’t quite as acidic in flavor.
What if I have different ingredients on hand?
If you have Dijon mustard in your fridge, you can use that instead of yellow mustard. You can also use a different sweetener, like agave nectar. (Honey isn’t vegan, but that can be used if you don’t need a vegan recipe.) You can also use a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder instead of onion powder if you prefer.
Looking for more vegan comfort food?Try Vegan Quesadillas, Mac and Cheese, or Vegan Alfredo for more ideas.
Vegan Burger Sauce
5 from 9 votes
Vegan Burger Sauce has the classic flavor you love made with simple pantry staples. It's the perfect topping for burgers, sandwiches, and more!
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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 0 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Servings: 10 ounces
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, mustard, tomato paste, maple syrup, vinegar, onion powder, and salt. Secure the lid and blend until smooth, about 60 to 90 seconds.
Taste the sauce and make any flavor adjustments, as needed. Then pour it into an airtight container with a lid and store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. This sauce will thicken when chilled, so you may need to stir a tablespoon of water to help thin it out again. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition information is for roughly 2 tablespoons of sauce. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Note: This recipe was updated in December 2023 to use simpler pantry ingredients. If you prefer the original version, you can find that here.
Nutrition
Calories: 52kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 235mg, Potassium: 91mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 51IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Megan Gilmore
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegan burger sauce
If you try this vegan burger sauce recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
