Zaxby’s Zax Sauce – Easy Copycat Recipe

Zaxby’s Zax Sauce is the perfect accompaniment for chicken tenders, fries, or fresh vegetables. This homemade version of the beloved Southern chain’s signature dipping sauce captures that distinctive creamy and tangy flavor that keeps customers coming back for more. With this simple copycat recipe, you can enjoy the rich, zesty goodness of Zax Sauce anytime you want, right from your own kitchen.

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What Makes Zaxby’s Zax Sauce So Special

Zaxby’s has built its reputation on serving some of the South’s best chicken tenders and nuggets, but their signature Zax Sauce is equally legendary. This rich and creamy sauce delivers just enough tangy zing to cut through the richness of fried foods while adding incredible flavor. Unlike generic fry sauce, Zax Sauce has a unique balance of seasonings and acidity, making it irresistibly addictive and versatile enough for countless uses.

Why you should try this recipe for Zaxby’s Sauce

Zax Sauce is the go-to sauce at Zaxby’s, but it’s so easy to make; why not try serving it at home as well? This sauce version calls for using white vinegar and opts to replace general-purpose seasoning salt with a variety of individual seasonings.

The white vinegar gives this Zaxby’s sauce recipe a bit of an extra kick that helps balance the heaviness of greasy fried food. Using different seasonings instead of a premade spice mix will allow you to customize the sauce’s taste based on your preferences. 

Homemade Zax Sauce ingredients

For this sauce, you’ll need:

• Mayonnaise – Forms the creamy base and provides richness; traditional brands like Duke’s or Hellmann’s work best
• Ketchup – Adds sweetness, color, and tomato flavor that balances the tanginess
• White distilled vinegar – Provides the signature zing that cuts through fried food richness
• Worcestershire sauce – Contributes umami depth and complex savory notes
• Garlic powder – Adds aromatic flavor without the texture of fresh garlic
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and brings the ingredients together
• Freshly ground black pepper – Provides warmth and subtle spice

Traditional mayo brands like Duke’s or Hellman’s work best in this sauce. Gourmet, reduced-fat, vegan, and Japanese-style mayonnaises all tend to have flavors that will change the overall taste of the sauce. 

How to make the sauce

To make this copycat Zax sauce recipe:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a mixing bowl.

2. Whisk well to combine.
3. Scrape the sauce into an airtight container using a rubber spatula. For the best flavor, chill the sauce in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving.
4. If the sauce sits for a long time in the fridge, it can start to separate. This is normal. A few stirs with a spoon are all it takes to return the sauce to the correct consistency. 

What to serve with the Zaxby’s Sauce 

Homemade Zax Sauce is the perfect sauce for fried chicken fingers (or as Zaxby’s calls them “chicken fingerz”), chicken strips, and nuggets, but it is much more versatile than that. Use it as a dipping sauce for French fries, onion rings, or tater tots. It pairs equally well with fried clams or fried clams.

This sauce is fair game for anything breaded and fried. But you can also use Zax Sauce instead of regular mayonnaise for tuna, chicken, or egg salad, or spread it on a burger or sandwich! It’s a flavorful salad dressing, too.

And, believe it or not, you can freeze it into popsicles just like Zaxby’s. “Zaxby’s sauce is going where no sauce has gone before: the freezer. Why? Because we figured if you’ll lick every last drop of that legendary sauce off your fingers, you’ll probably lick every last drip of sauce off a popsicle”. Check out their saucesicles.

Storage & Safety Guidelines

• Refrigerator Storage: Keep in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days maximum.
• Temperature Safety: Don’t leave at room temperature for more than 20-30 minutes to prevent spoilage due to the mayonnaise content.
• Separation Prevention: Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation during storage.
• Serving Safety: Always discard any sauce that has been used for dipping to maintain food safety.

More copycat fast food sauces

• Arby’s Sauce
• Arby’s Gyro Sauce
• Chick Fil A Sauce
• Big Mac Sauce
• Raising Cane’s Sauce
• Red Robin Campfire Sauce
• Taco Bell Mild Sauce
• Whataburger Creamy Pepper Sauce

Popular dipping sauces

• Coconut Shrimp Sauce
• Onion Ring Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Thai Peanut Sauce
• Yum Yum Sauce

Check out more of my easy recipes for dips and sauces and the best copycat fast food recipes on CopyKat!