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Creamy copycat zax sauce in a ramekin with a crispy chicken finger being dipped
Donny Enriquez

Copycat Zax Sauce (Zaxby's Signature Sauce)

A peppery, tangy dipping sauce built from tomato paste and vinegar instead of ketchup — the swap that makes homemade actually taste like the restaurant cup. Five minutes of whisking, then an overnight rest in the fridge. Makes far more than a takeout cup for pantry-staple cost.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 240 g full-fat mayonnaise, divided
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Equipment

  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Small balloon whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Pepper mill (coarse setting)
  • Airtight glass jar

Method
 

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the tomato paste with about 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise until completely smooth and uniformly orange-red, roughly 30 seconds, with no dark clumps remaining.
  2. Add the remaining 3/4 cup mayonnaise, the Worcestershire sauce, and the vinegar. Measure the Worcestershire in a spoon rather than pouring from the bottle. Whisk until the color is even and the sauce has loosened.
  3. Add the black pepper, sugar, garlic powder, ground mustard, salt, and onion powder. Whisk hard for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping the sides and the bottom edge, until no pale streaks of dry seasoning remain and the pepper is evenly suspended.
  4. Transfer to an airtight jar, seal, and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably 24. Stir before serving.
  5. If the sauce is thicker than you want, whisk in water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it's too thin, add mayonnaise 1 tablespoon at a time.

Video

Notes

Store sealed in the fridge for up to about a week. Always use a clean utensil and never dip directly into the storage jar.
Do not freeze — the mayonnaise emulsion breaks on thawing.
No tomato paste? Use 1/4 cup ketchup and omit the sugar and vinegar. The result is good but noticeably closer to fry sauce.
For the spicy version, low-calorie version, smoky version, and extra-peppery version, see the variations covered above.
Season to the written measurements rather than to taste on day one; the flavors concentrate overnight.