Can’t wait? Jump to the Zippy Southwest Burger Sauce recipe.
Burgers love condiments the way tacos love salsa.
But which condiments belong on burgers? This can become a topic for heated debate among otherwise reasonable people.
Some insist on only mayo, or mustard, or catsup — or perhaps a combination of two of the three, happily swirling them together on the bun like a spin art project. Some of these purists fall into the even narrower category of “this brand and this brand only,” like folks who only want Hellman’s or Duke’s mayo, Grey Poupon Dijon mustard, or Whataburger spicy catsup (yes, that’s a thing, trust me).
And then there are the adventurers: the folks who gleefully buy the most intriguing condiment at the artisanal booth at the farmers’ market and immediately start imagining what it might do for a burger.
Put me squarely in that category.
We’re also the first ones to root around in the refrigerator for homemade concoctions that might absolutely rock a burger, like these from our recipe archives:
We have a big-tent inclusion philosophy at Glover Gardens and appreciate burger condiment lovers of all kinds. No judgment here.
But there’s one more category of burger condiment that almost everyone can agree on: the special sauce created specifically for a particular burger.
That’s exactly what today’s recipe is.
Our Zippy Southwest Burger Sauce was developed for our Glover Gardens Zippy Southwest Smash Burgers, and after multiple rounds of tweaking and burger experimentation, we finally landed on the balance we wanted: creamy, tangy, savory, and gently spicy. It ROCKS our smash burgers, my friends.
It’s wonderful on burgers, but also terrific on sandwiches, wraps, fries, roasted potatoes, as a spread for canapes, or pretty much anything that could use a creamy Southwestern kick.
And for your convenience, we’re sharing it in two sizes:
- enough for 4 burgers,
- or enough for 8 burgers (or enthusiastic dipping).
Recipe: Zippy Southwest Burger Sauce
Small Batch (Enough for 4 Burgers)
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp ketchup (regular or spicy)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp Zippy Southwest seasoning (or your favorite Southwest seasoning)
Large Batch (Enough for 8 Burgers or Dipping)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅜ cup ketchup (or 6 tbsp)
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Zippy Southwest seasoning (or your favorite Southwest seasoning)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Store refrigerated.
Notes
- The flavor improves even more if the sauce rests for 15–30 minutes before serving.
- We use light mayo for this recipe and it works just fine.
- If you want the sauce to be a teensy bit spicier, add a few drops of Tabasco or another hot sauce (to taste).
- Seasoning: make the Zippy Southwest, my friends; it only takes a few minutes and it’s the magic of the spread. Plus, you’ll have extra – for your smash burgers, your scrambled eggs, your grilled chicken breast, your anything-that-needs-a-southwest-kick.
Stay Tuned
The Zippy Southwest Smash Burger recipe is next!
©️ 2026, Glover Gardens
