A Recipe for Comeback Sauce

A bowl of creamy sauce with a spoon, surrounded by shrimp, a jar of paprika, mustard seeds, and coarse salt on a wooden surface.

5 from 1 vote

This Comeback Sauce is a creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy Southern favorite. Perfect for dipping, drizzling, or spreading, it elevates everything from fries to fried seafood with its bold, balanced flavor.

Prep Time5

Chilling Time30

Total Time35

Course: Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings, about 2 tablespoons per serving

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $0.13 per serving

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce I am using sriracha
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Grab a bowl and stir together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, and black pepper until smooth and sassy. Pop it in the fridge, covered, for about 30 minutes to let the flavors get to know each other.
1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chili sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Video

Notes

Here’s a cheeky secret: let your Comeback Sauce lounge in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the mayonnaise’s lecithin can do its molecular matchmaking around the little oil droplets. Think of it as a mini spa day for your sauce—once those molecules cozy up, you get a luxuriously smooth emulsion that hugs your fries (or shrimp) instead of pooling sadly at the bottom. Science!

Nutrition