Have you ever wondered what McDonald’s most longed for item on their menu is? No, it’s not a side dish or a sandwich, but the legendary McDonald’s Szechuan sauce.
Everyone can agree that nostalgia can be one of the greatest feelings in the world and that is exactly the reason people are making such a commotion about the return of this dipping sauce.
The sauce was released in June 1998 after Disney released their animated feature film, Mulan. After the promotional period for the film ended, the sauce was removed from all stores. In 2017 Justin Roiland, co-creator of the cartoon Rick and Morty, wrote the season 3 premiers’ storyline about this non-existent sauce. This gave the already legendary sauce an even higher status as every fan wanted to taste it. McDonald’s responded by bringing it back in stock for one day only. But unfortunately, limited stores had limited stock, which literally caused customers to riot.
So what type of sauce is this that makes people this crazy? This sauce is an Asian inspired sauce from the Sichuan province. It is a perfect flavor balance between sweet and sour. It also has a salty taste accompanied by its signature spicy notes. McDonalds’ released it as a dipping sauce for their McNuggets, but it’s actually an extremely versatile sauce. You can use it in pastas and casseroles or on your pizza; really anything you can think of.
The most obvious ingredient, Szechuan pepper, is what gives this sauce its spicy notes. If you substitute it with any other type of pepper, it’s not an authentic McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce. The rest of the ingredients will most likely already be in your food cupboard.
Now you would think that a sauce that is this delicious and versatile takes hours of cooking to create that deep rich flavor and that perfect dipping sauce texture, but you’re wrong. This sauce is actually very quick to make and requires minimal effort and skill.
So lets jump into this Rick and Morty szechuan sauce recipe and how you make this yourself at home.
How to Make McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce
Once you have measured out all of your ingredients, the most difficult part is over. You can combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, sugar and spices in a medium sauce pan.
Allow the mixture to come to a boil and stir for 4-5 minutes. Bring the heat down and simmer the mixture for another 2-3 minutes.
Make a slurry using the corn starch and remaining water. Add the slurry to the saucepan and cook until your sauce thickens. Remove your pan from the heat and add both your vinegars and lime juice while whisking to incorporate thoroughly.
Once the sauce is cooled, transfer it to a lid-jar and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce Recipe
Course: SauceCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes10
minutes15
minutesThis McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce recipe is super quick and easy to make and will bring back some amazing memories as well as elevate your food.
Ingredients
1 cup 1 water (plus 1/2 cup water for corn starch mixture)
1/2 cup 1/2 soy sauce
1/3 teaspoon 1/3 sesame oil
2 tablespoons 2 ginger paste
1 tablespoon 1 garlic, minced
6 tablespoons 6 brown or granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 ground Szechuan peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoon 2 corn starch
3 tablespoons 3 rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon 1 apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon 1 lime juice
Directions
- Place all the ingredients, except the corn starch, rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and lime juice, in a medium sauce pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 2-3 minutes whilst still continuously stirring.
- Meanwhile, combine the corn starch with 1/2 cup water and mix until a slurry forms.
- Pour the slurry in the saucepan and mix continuously for 2 minutes over low heat. The slurry will thicken the mixture.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and lime juice.
- Mix thoroughly with a whisk until fully incorporated.
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before bottling. Add the cooled sauce in a lid-jar (Mason jars works best).
Notes
- This sauce can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator while using as needed.
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
Conclusion
This McDonald’s Rick and Morty Szechuan Sauce recipe is so easy to make that even the culinary-challenged will be able to whip this up. It takes all of 15 minutes which is perfect if you are expecting last-minute guests. Everyone will be taking a walk down memory lane and reminisce about 1998, back when they first tasted this magnificent sauce. You can also store this sauce for 2 weeks in the refrigerator in a lid-jar and use it as needed.
As mentioned before, McDonald’s created an exceptionally versatile sauce. Use it as a topping for pizzas, fried chicken or ribs. You can also use it to make a variety of pasta dishes and even use it in casseroles or stews to add some extra flavor. A bonus is that it is gluten-free. If you love this sauce, but it is a bit too spicy, you can always add more sugar. The same goes for if you like your food extra spicy, you can just add more Szechuan pepper to the recipe.
With ingredients you will most likely have in your kitchen, you can create a sauce that is perfectly balanced in flavor. It has a nice thick texture, so it triumphs above other dipping sauces. You can put it out with a variety of finger-food at your kids’ next birthday party or the next game night. The rich flavor compliments most foods and will give it that extra flair. It will quickly become a family favorite.
People can be very picky when it comes to sauces, but this McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce is definitely a crowd pleaser. It is quick and easy to make as well as cheap. You will never want to use another sauce in your home again.
