🥓 Keto Burger Sauce
This sauce delivers the classic creamy-tangy special-sauce flavor with no added sugar. It swaps regular ketchup for a sugar-free version and leans on pickle, mustard, and vinegar for brightness, so it fits a keto or low-carb plate while still tasting like proper burger sauce.
🧾 Keto Burger Sauce — Recipe Card
From I Love Hamburger — ilovehamburger.com
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup full-fat mayonnaise (115 g)
- 1¾ tbsp sugar-free ketchup (15 ml)
- 1¾ tbsp finely minced dill pickle (no added sugar) (12 g)
- 1¾ tsp yellow or Dijon mustard (5 ml)
- 1¾ tsp dill pickle brine (5 ml)
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika (1 g)
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder (0.5 g)
Instructions
- Whisk the mayonnaise, sugar-free ketchup, and mustard together until smooth.
- Stir in the minced dill pickle, pickle brine, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Taste and adjust — more brine or mustard for tang. No sugar or sweetener is needed, but a pinch of a keto sweetener can be added if you want it sweeter.
- Chill 15 minutes before serving.
🫙 Storage
Airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week. Do not freeze — the mayo base will separate when thawed.
🔁 Substitutions
- Use dill relish that lists no added sugar in place of the minced pickle.
- If you miss a touch of sweetness, whisk in a few drops of a liquid keto sweetener like monk fruit or erythritol.
🍔 What to put it on
Pair it with a lettuce-wrapped patty, cheddar, bacon, and avocado. It especially shines on these burgers:
Burger HQ Picks Handy for sauce-making
Heavy-Duty Stainless Smash Burger Press
A flat, weighty press is the difference between a real lacy-edged smash burger and a sad steamed puck. Round, broad face for full patty contact.
Check price →Instant-Read Digital Meat Thermometer
Pulls a reading in 2–3 seconds so you can hit 160°F on ground beef every time without cutting into the patty and losing juices.
Check price →Pre-Seasoned 12" Cast Iron Skillet
Holds screaming-hot heat for the deep, even crust that makes a steakhouse-style burger. Lasts a lifetime.
Check price →Outdoor Gas Flat-Top Griddle
A big flat top cooks a dozen smash burgers at once with room for onions and buns. The backbone of burger night for a crowd.
Check price →Thin Flexible Stainless Turner (Smash Spatula)
A stiff, thin, bevelled edge slides under the crust and scrapes up every bit of the browned fond instead of tearing the patty.
Check price →Steakhouse Burger Seasoning Blend
For nights you do not want to measure. Salt-forward with garlic, onion, and pepper — exactly what a burger wants.
Check price →Stainless Grill Accessory Kit
Long tongs, a wide spatula, and a basting brush so you are not fighting your own tools over a hot grill.
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Frequently asked questions
What makes this burger sauce keto?
The carbs in regular burger sauce come mainly from the sugar in ketchup and sweet relish. This version uses full-fat mayo, a sugar-free ketchup, and unsweetened dill pickle, so it keeps the flavor while cutting the added sugar and carbs.
Can I add sweetness without breaking keto?
Yes — a few drops of a liquid monk-fruit or erythritol sweetener add the familiar hint of sweetness with no sugar or meaningful carbs. It is optional; the pickle and paprika already give the sauce plenty of character.