32 Standout Sauce Recipes for Burgers

Ketchup, mustard, and Thousand Island get most of the action when it comes to adding sauce to a burger, but why stop there?

Ketchup, mustard, and Thousand Island get most of the action when it comes to adding sauce to a burger, but why stop there? There are countless ways to level up your burger, and switching up your sauces is the best place to start. Below are some of our favorite sauce recipes—from ranch and pesto to a number of variations on mustard and mayo—to make your next burger stand out from the rest.

Spicy 'Nduja Mayonnaise

For the best spicy mayonnaise, stir in some funky, salty 'nduja.

List Link: Spicy 'Nduja Mayonnaise

Chipotle Mayonnaise

With just a few ingredients, you can create a complex mixture of spicy, cool, earthy, and smoky that becomes an excellent spread for burgers.

List Link: Chipotle Mayonnaise

Ranch Dressing

The creamy, rich buttermilk in this ranch melds with the subtleties of fresh parsley, chives, and dill.

List Link: Ranch Dressing

Harissa Ranch Dressing

Is there anything better than ranch? Yes: harissa ranch.

List Link: Harissa Ranch Dressing

Shack Sauce

Shake Shack's secretive Shack Sauce is a creamy, tangy condiment for burgers at home.

List Link: Shack Sauce

Curry Leaf and Mustard Oil Mayonnaise

The peppery heat of mustard oil and aromatic curry leaves give this luxurious and rich mayo incredible depth of flavor.

List Link: Curry Leaf and Mustard Oil Mayonnaise

Two-Minute Mayonnaise

Using an immersion blender, you end up with a cup full of creamy, perfectly emulsified, real-deal, better-than-anything-you-can-buy mayonnaise.

List Link: Two-Minute Mayonnaise

The Best Pesto alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto Sauce)

After many rounds of testing, we found this method and ratio of ingredients produces the best pesto.

List Link: The Best Pesto alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto Sauce)

Fennel Frond Pesto With Lemon and Anchovies

Turn your herb and vegetable leftovers into a delicious and versatile sauce.

List Link: Fennel Frond Pesto With Lemon and Anchovies

Whipped Feta Dip

Versatile whipped feta cheese can be slathered on burgers for a salty, tangy finish.

List Link: Whipped Feta Dip

Ssamjang (Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce)

Korean ssamjang combines the savory funk of doenjang with the sweet heat of gochujang for the perfect grilled meat condiment.

List Link: Ssamjang (Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce)

Romesco Sauce

Here's how to get closer to the original flavor than many English-language recipes will allow.

List Link: Romesco Sauce

Roasted-Tomato and Caper Spread

Sweet roasted tomatoes join forces with briny capers and spicy fresh olive oil in this flavorful spread.

List Link: Roasted-Tomato and Caper Spread

Guasacaca (Avocado Salsa)

Venezuelan cuisine's answer to guacamole has a brighter, tangier flavor.

List Link: Guasacaca (Avocado Salsa)

Fermented Hot Sauce With Fresno Chiles, Garlic, and Tamari

Charred Fresno chiles add complex flavor and heat, tamari supplies savory backbone, while garlic oil blends in for an emulsified sauce that's creamy and rich.

List Link: Fermented Hot Sauce With Fresno Chiles, Garlic, and Tamari

Chipotle Fermented Hot Sauce With Garlic, and Cumin

Loosely inspired by Mexico's Cholula brand of hot sauces, this spicy homemade condiment is packed with the smoky flavors of chipotle and the bold funk of cumin and garlic.

List Link: Chipotle Fermented Hot Sauce With Garlic, and Cumin

Habanero Fermented Hot Sauce With Berries

Roughly inspired by a Louisiana-style hot sauce like Tabasco, this fermented condiment gets its intense color and fruity flavor from berries.

List Link: Habanero Fermented Hot Sauce With Berries

Cheese Sauce

Homemade nacho cheese sauce is within your reach, and is great layered on a burger.

List Link: Cheese Sauce

Nam Prik Pao (Thai Chile Jam)

Add this versatile, savory-sweet roasted chile paste to your condiment repertoire.

List Link: Nam Prik Pao (Thai Chile Jam)

Zhug (Yemenite Hot Sauce With Cilantro and Parsley)

Zhug is a fresh, bright Middle Eastern hot sauce akin to chimichurri, chermoula, and salsa verde.

List Link: Zhug (Yemenite Hot Sauce With Cilantro and Parsley)

Traditional Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

A bold, creamy garlic sauce and dip, Lebanese toum is easy to make at home with the help of a food processor and a little good technique.

List Link: Traditional Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

Homemade Ketchup

While nothing will replace a flavor so ingrained in our psyches as Heinz, this ketchup has its own appeal. It was brighter and fresher than bottled ketchup, with a natural tomato flavor.

List Link: Homemade Ketchup

Yellow Mustard

Ground mustard forms the base of the sauce, with vinegar pumping up the kick, and turmeric providing that bright yellow color that sets American mustard apart.

List Link: Yellow Mustard

Spicy Beer Mustard

While this mustard has quite a bite when tried alone, eaten on a burger, it has just the right amount of spice with a very slight sweetness.

List Link: Spicy Beer Mustard

Chili for Chili Burgers

This chili ends up with a homogeneous, saucy texture perfect for topping burgers.

List Link: Chili for Chili Burgers

Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce

Thick and sweet, with a tangy tomato mixture—this a the barbecue sauce you'll want to put on everything, especially your burgers.

List Link: Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce

Two-Minute Aioli

Classic aioli is made with nothing but garlic and olive oil pounded in a mortar and pestle. Our updated version uses egg yolks to help bind the sauce along with a hand blender to make it 100% foolproof and extremely quick.

List Link: Two-Minute Aioli

New Orleans Remoulade Sauce

Mayonnaise is the base for this remoulade brimming with fresh herbs and spices.

List Link: New Orleans Remoulade Sauce

Pimento Cheese

A mixture of grated sharp cheddar, mayo, pimentos, cayenne, and hot sauce makes for some of the best pimento cheese around.

List Link: Pimento Cheese

Homemade Sriracha

This version hits the right notes, but with a brighter, fresher flavor.

List Link: Homemade Sriracha

Basic Teriyaki Sauce

A mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, sake, and mirin gives this sauce a sweet and salty flavor.

List Link: Basic Teriyaki Sauce

Chimichurri Sauce

Fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar come together in a tangy sauce that works wonders on burgers.

List Link: Chimichurri Sauce

Read the original article on Serious Eats.