The Actual Ingredients In Your Favorite Restaurant Sauces (We Had No Idea What Was In Horsey Sauce)

Burtland Dixon | August 17, 2025 1:00 pm

When it comes to food, many factors make certain dishes irresistible. One thing is for sure, though; the right sauce will have you coming back for more. Take, In-N-Out, for example. The Animal Style Sauce makes going through the drive-thru a task you don't even mind, no matter if the line winds out to the street.

Many other restaurants have unique condiments that their fans crave, so we're going to share with you the ingredients for the most popular ones. Is your mouth watering yet? Keep reading to learn the secrets of sauce!

Whip Up That Horsey Sauce for Your Sandwich!

the sauce for arbys
Mike Pont/Getty Images for Arby's
Mike Pont/Getty Images for Arby's

Arby's is probably one of the most underrated fast-food chains in America. It doesn't get the credit it deserves and consistently gets overlooked by competitors like Subway or Jersey Mike's. If you've had the Horsey Sauce, then you can understand our frustrations.

If you don't believe us, try making a batch yourself. What you'll need is mayonnaise, sugar, creamed horseradish, and salt. Once you've created it, prepare for a trip that your tastebuds won't soon forget.

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No More Tears, Here's The Bloomin' Onion Sauce

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outback steakhouse
Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Fans of Outback Steakhouse know that the Bloomin' Onion is a staple of the Australian-inspired restaurant chain. The crispy, mouthwatering treat is the perfect appetizer as you wait for your main dish. The cherry on top has to be the special "bloom sauce" that accompanies it.

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To make your own, you're going to need eight ingredients. Mayonnaise, creamy horseradish, ketchup, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper are all that's required to recreate this tasty sauce for yourself!

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Make Your Own Big Mac

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big mac getting eaten
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
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"In 1974, the name 'Special Sauce' came into existence from the famous advertising campaign: 'Two all-beef patties, Special Sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions – on a sesame seed bun," the McDonald's website reports. With the Big Mac being one of the most popular burgers in the fast-food world, the special sauce is a massive reason why.

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To create your own Special Sauce, you only need six ingredients. Make sure you have black pepper, white vinegar, sugar, sweet pickle relish, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Once you've gathered your materials, you're well on your way to creating a masterpiece!

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Recreate Panda Express' Famous Orange Sauce

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panda express sauce
Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images
Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images
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Panda Express serves millions of people every year with tons of options to choose from on their menu. Still, none are as popular as the orange chicken. It's totally unmatched, and that's primarily thanks to the sauce on it.

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To make it yourself, you will only need six ingredients. The list includes vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, orange zest, and crushed red peppers. Those are all items that sound like they might not mix that well, but Panda Express made it work. Try it!

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KFC's Gravy Is Addictive

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gravy sauce
Moses Robinson/Getty Images for KFC
Moses Robinson/Getty Images for KFC
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Before selling the chain, the Colonel took pride in making the sauce so good that you'd "throw away the durn chicken and just the eat the gravy." Eventually, the recipe became too time-consuming so they got rid of it for a more straightforward method.

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Luckily, we can provide you with the core ingredients so that you can make your own! You'll need beef bouillon, water, butter, flour, and chicken broth (salt and pepper are optional). We know you can't wait to have some!

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Contain Your Red Lobster Urges

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Inside A Red Lobster Restaurant Following Sale To Golden Gate Capital
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Red Lobster, famous for their Cheddar Bay Biscuits, also has a Tartar Sauce that complements pretty much every seafood option. Better with the fried choices, you can make your own with only six ingredients.

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You'll need mayonnaise, white onions, carrot (finely diced), pickle relish, sugar, and salt. Yep, that's it for the Red Lobster Tartar Sauce. If there were ever a time to whip up a batch of tarter sauce from scratch, this is it!

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This Fabulous Subway Sauce

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Erin Holland holding a sandwich
Hanna Lassen/WireImage
Hanna Lassen/WireImage
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Subway is the restaurant you go to when you want to eat fresh, or fresher than usual. With the option to customize your sandwich however you wish, that means being able to add whatever sauce you want. One of their more desirable sauces is the Chipotle Southwest Sauce.

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You don't need much to recreate it, and you probably already have many of them in your cabinet. Just get some mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, ground cumin, dried dill, kosher salt, and one chipotle chile in adobo sauce.

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That's What A Hamburger Is All About

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animal style sauce
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for John Varvatos
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for John Varvatos
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While the Chick-Fil-A Sauce certainly is a crowd-pleaser, perhaps In-N-Out's Animal Style sauce is slightly more desirable. It's almost similar to McDonald's Big Mac sauce, but there's one key difference that makes it go above and beyond.

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For the spread, you'll need, mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle relish, salt, grounded pepper, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. McDonald's uses white vinegar, whereas In-N-Out chooses to go with apple cider. That one difference changes the way your tastebuds react to the magical sauce.

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That Zesty Sauce You Love

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the zesty sauce
Horacio Villalobos - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Horacio Villalobos - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
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As a direct competitor to McDonald's, Burger King has always had the little brother role. They've never been quite as popular, but they still gather a lot of customers. Perhaps it's their Whopper, or maybe its the Zesty Sauce.

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For this recipe, you'll need ten ingredients, but you probably already have them. One drop of soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, salt, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, cayenne pepper, horseradish, and mayonnaise should do the trick. Prepare for added zest in your life.

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Arby's Strikes Again

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the special sauce
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Maybe you're a fan of a good roast beef sandwich. We don't blame you. They can be spectacular, and you can eat them for dinner, lunch, or even a snack when your stomach gets to rumbling. Next time you have an urge to feast on one, try out Arby's Sauce that you can make yourself.

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To prepare it, you'll need quite a few ingredients, but it's worth it in the end. Ketchup, apple cider vinegar, water, Tabasco, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, and sea salt should get the job done for you!