✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Zaxby's Zax Sauce is creamy, tangy and loaded with black pepper, the kind of dip that makes a plain chicken finger disappear. It takes me 5 minutes to whisk together, and the fridge does the rest.
How Do You Make Zaxby's Sauce at Home? (Quick Answer)
Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise with 1/3 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard and 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon sugar, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use more black pepper than feels right, and give it the full 2 hours in the fridge. Straight from the bowl it tastes like mayo and ketchup; chilled, the pepper and garlic wake up and it turns into Zax Sauce.
Why You'll Love This Zax Sauce
- Five minutes of work one bowl, one whisk and no stove.
- Peppery, not just pink real bite from coarse black pepper and a touch of cayenne.
- Pantry friendly chances are you already have every single thing in here.
- Better on day two make it the night before and it only improves.
- Good on everything fingers, fries, burgers and toast all want a dip.
What Is Zax Sauce?
Zax Sauce is the dipping sauce Zaxby's serves alongside its chicken fingers: creamy, pale orange and speckled with black pepper. I first ran into it at a road trip stop somewhere in Georgia and spent the rest of the drive trying to work out what was in it.
This is the version I make at home. My test for any copycat is simple: does it taste like the memory, can a home cook make it reliably, and is there a shortcut? This one passes, and the shortcut is the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Mayonnaise: the creamy base, so use one you like eating.
- Ketchup: sweetness, tomato and that peachy color.
- Worcestershire and mustard: the savory backbone. You won't taste mustard, but you'd notice it missing.
- White vinegar: a clean, sharp tang that cuts through fried food.
- Black pepper: the star of the show. Coarse ground is best.
- Garlic and onion powder: powders melt into the sauce with no raw bite.
- Cayenne and sugar: just enough to balance the pepper.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Full-fat mayo. Light mayo makes a thin, sweet sauce. Duke's or Hellmann's both do the job.
- Coarse pepper matters. Those visible specks are half the personality here, and pre-ground dust just turns the sauce gray.
- Chill it, really. I've eaten it straight from the bowl and it's fine. Two hours later it's the sauce I wanted. Overnight is even better.
- Salt last. Ketchup, mayo and Worcestershire are already salty, so taste before you add more.
- Keep it cold. Mayo-based sauces go back in the fridge after dipping; don't leave the bowl out on game day for more than 2 hours.
- Thin it if you like. A teaspoon of pickle juice loosens it for burgers and adds a little zip.
Zaxby’s Zax Sauce
12
servings (2 tablespoons)5
minutes0
minutes130
kcal2
hours5
minutesA copycat-style Zaxby’s Zax Sauce: creamy mayonnaise and ketchup whisked with Worcestershire, a little yellow mustard and vinegar, garlic, onion and plenty of black pepper, then chilled so the flavors come together. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
- For the Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise (full fat)
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 pinch fine salt, to taste
Directions
- Spoon the mayonnaise and ketchup into a medium bowl.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and vinegar.
- Sprinkle over the black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds, until the sauce is smooth, peachy orange and flecked with pepper.
- Taste on a clean spoon and adjust. Add a pinch more pepper for bite or a few drops of vinegar for tang.
- Scrape into a jar, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the garlic and pepper can bloom.
- Stir, then serve cold with hot chicken fingers, fries or toast. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.
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Zax Sauce vs Other Chicken Sauces
If you keep a sauce shelf in the fridge like I do, here's how they compare.
| Zax Sauce | Cane's-style sauce | Chick-fil-A-style sauce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Peppery and tangy | Garlicky and savory | Sweet and smoky |
| Base | Mayo and ketchup | Mayo and ketchup | Mayo, honey and mustard |
| Heat | Mild to medium | Mild | None |
| Best with | Fingers, fries, toast | Tenders, toast | Nuggets, sandwiches |
What to Serve With Zax Sauce
Hot, crispy chicken is the whole point. My KFC-style chicken tenders and copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets both want a big dunk in it. It's also very good on a crispy chicken sandwich.
Building a dipping lineup? Set it out with my copycat Raising Cane's sauce, Chick-fil-A-style sauce and Wingstop-style ranch, then browse the rest of my copycat recipes.
Storage
Keep the sauce in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 1 week and give it a good stir before serving. Skip the freezer, because the mayonnaise splits. If it thickens up, loosen it with a splash of pickle juice or water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Zax Sauce taste like?
Creamy and tangy with a strong peppery finish. It sits somewhere between fry sauce and a peppery comeback sauce, with Worcestershire and garlic in the background.
Is Zax Sauce the same as Cane's sauce?
They're cousins, not twins. Both start with mayo and ketchup, but Cane's-style sauce leans on Worcestershire and garlic, while Zax Sauce has more black pepper and a sharper tang.
How long does homemade Zax Sauce last?
Up to 1 week in a covered jar in the fridge. Stir before using and don't freeze it, since mayonnaise separates when it thaws.
Can I make Zax Sauce spicy?
Yes. Double the cayenne or add a teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce. Add it a little at a time, because the heat builds as it chills.
What can I serve with Zax Sauce?
Hot chicken fingers and wings are the classic pairing, with crinkle fries and buttery Texas toast. I also spread it on burgers and chicken sandwiches.
Is this the official Zaxby's recipe?
No. It's my own copycat, built by taste to give you that creamy, peppery dip at home.
