What Is Arby's Sauce (And Why Is It So Delicious)?

Have you ever noticed that certain fast-food chains have a fixation on a "special sauce?" Take McDonald's, for example, and its famous special sauce on its Big Macs. You could go to a Chick-fil-A and notice it's selling a dipping sauce titled "Chick-fil-A Sauce." We could spend all day discussing which fast-food sauce is the best, but the special sauce we'll be discussing today is one that you've probably guessed from the title: Arby's Sauce.

Although Arby's has been around for over 59 years, the famed roast beef chain didn't include its namesake sauce until the 1970s, a decade after the restaurant opened. The sauce joined classic Arby's staples such as Beef 'n Cheddar, Jamocha Shakes, and curly fries. From then on, Arby's Sauce has found itself nestled between the buns and whatever meats that Arby's can slice up, acting as a sort of cross between ketchup and barbeque sauce without being one or the other. Alongside Arby's horsey sauce, Arby's Sauce remains a popular go-to item for anyone looking for something extra for their sandwich.

But just what exactly is the secret behind Arby's Sauce? What makes it so popular that it can be slathered on anything from roast beef to brisket? Could it be that its unique flavor profile, that strange cross between ketchup and barbeque sauce, helps make it a staple?

If you bit an Arby's sandwich and didn't know it had Arby's Sauce, you'd probably say it tasted like a sweeter version of barbeque sauce. Or perhaps you might say that you tasted ketchup or at least have that vinegary aftertaste of ketchup. It is this taste, this familiar yet utterly unique flavor, that manages to call to mind two common condiments, but it isn't one or the other, that makes it so popular.

Barbeque and ketchup are both very popular condiments, so it naturally would make sense to combine them into one single sauce. But it's not just the taste of it alone that makes it crave-worthy. People enjoy trying something new and exciting, yet at the same time, they want something more familiar to them. Arby's Sauce is kind of like ketchup and kind of like barbeque sauce, but it technically isn't either. It's made with tomatoes and vinegar in the same manner as ketchup and barbeque sauce are, but it differs just enough that the sauce stands on its own instead of tasting like a repackaged ketchup or barbeque sauce.

But what gives Arby's Sauce that unique flavor? If tomatoes and vinegar are part of the recipe, what keeps it from tasting like regular ketchup and barbeque sauce?

If you thought there would be a fully-detailed recipe released by Arby's on how to make its famous sauce, you'd, unfortunately, be incorrect. Arby's hasn't gone on record to explain how to make any of its sauces, preferring to keep them a trade secret. What we do have, however, are many copycat recipes that contain ingredients common in each recipe. 

For example, several recipes note that Arby's Sauce usually includes ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, or steak sauce. While the list of ingredients may differ slightly from recipe to recipe, how to prepare the sauce remains virtually similar. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, optionally simmer the mixture over medium-low heat, and refrigerate, using the sauce when you see fit. 

If you don't have the ingredients or don't feel like going through all that work for some Arby's Sauce, you can purchase the sauce and have it shipped directly to your home. Arby's Sauce is sold on Amazon in 16-fluid-ounce bottles for $15.00. While this may be a bit more expensive than going to Arby's and ordering a sandwich with some little packets, the size of the bottle means you can enjoy the delicious ketchup and barbeque-flavored sauce any time you want without having to make it or constantly heading back to Arby's.