Sweet and tangy Mayo Ketchup may be the perfect dipping sauce you’ve never heard of. This zesty blend of mayonnaise and ketchup is traditionally a dip for Tostones and other Puerto Rican delicacies. (Don’t you dare put fried food on a Puerto Rican table without Mayo Ketchup, homie!) But it’s also fabulous used as a sandwich spread, a salad dressing, or a marinade. Did I mention this mayo Ketchup recipe is ridiculously easy to make?
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What Is Mayo Ketchup?
A staple of the Puerto Rican table, Mayo Ketchup is also a popular condiment in many different countries, where it can be known as fry sauce, salsa rosada, or pink sauce. The combination of mayonnaise and ketchup creates a rich and creamy dressing with slightly honeyed and tart notes. The two ingredients complement each other perfectly, creating a sauce that is surprisingly flavorful and versatile, like Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart.
Ingredients For Mayo Ketchup
You can now find this delicious concoction at many supermarkets, but making your own is much cheaper. Plus, you can doctor it up with a few extra ingredients to make it your own. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of adobo seasoning for depth and grate a fresh garlic clove to add pungency. Here’s what you’ll need to make a basic Mayo Ketchup:
- Mayonnaise: adds richness and body to the sauce. Feel free to use vegan mayo here, if you’re plant-based.
- Ketchup: provides sweetness and acidity. It also gives the sauce its signature salmon pink color.
- Hot Sauce: adds a spicy kick. Use your favorite brand. Hot pepper brine is also fantastic. In a pinch, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
What TO PAIR With It
Mayo Ketchup is a perfect dip for anything fried, and Tostones are an uber-traditional pairing. You can also try it with Air Fryer Fried Chicken, Oven Baked Steak Fries, fish sticks, and Baked Zucchini Fries. PS I love it as a spread on Tomato Sandwiches(stand down, traditionalists!) or a Smash Burger.
Mayo Ketchup
Servings 4 servingsIngredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.40)
- 2 Tbsp ketchup ($0.10)
- 1 tsp hot sauce ($0.14)
Instructions
- Add mayonnaise, ketchup, and hot sauce to a small bowl.
- Mix ingredients until no white streaks remain. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 30 days.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Mayo Ketchup – Step by Step Photos
To a small bowl add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce.
Mix ingredients until thoroughly combined and no white streaks remain. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight for up to 30 days. Serve with your favorite crispy fried or oven-baked foods. Tostones are my favorite but the possibilities are endless!
I have been cooking meals for my family for over forty years. The last several of those years I have been making recipes from Budget Bytes, many of which have become family favorites. Ketchup mayo? I had never even heard of it but I’m going to make it next time we have burgers and fries. I agree that just because a recipe seems basic and unnecessary to some doesn’t mean that someone out there not might benefit, even someone who is an experienced cook.This time it was me. Thanks for the recipe.
The comments on this post are wild! For anyone who wants an explanation as to why a website would post such a basic recipe, one reason is for SEO (search engine optimization) purposes. Posts like this helps drive new traffic to the site, getting new readers in the process AND, yes, those clicks earn the site money. Which is needs to operate, because the content is free. I have noticed a lot of blogs I follow posting basic, evergreen how-to guides as a way to get new clicks and stay relevant down the line. If you want this website and others like it to continue to post new content, this is something they do to make sure their website is profitable. So knowing that, maybe you can tolerate some “basic’ recipes every so often! On top of that, not everything you find basic is so to other people.
Adding fresh minced garlic, any vinegar and pepper bring it to the next level. Add finely chopped pickles or pickeled peppers for another route.
I agree with Barb.
I love mayo ketchup! I like to put mustard in it occasionally and some relish if I have any on hand :) I’ve never put hot sauce, tho. I’ll have to try it next time I make a sandwich!
Thank you for providing me the ratios! Never thought of adding hot sauce
I haven’t tried this one yet, but I love that it introduces me to something new! Like so many of the Budget Bytes recipes it is a simple, affordable concoction that will allow me to sample a cuisine and culture that I don’t have ready access to by just shopping my pantry. Thank you Budget Bytes Team!
Thank you for your sauce recipes – all of them.
So simple but with blasts of flavour.
I am making this right now to eat with veggies that have been steamed.
May try TOSTONES one day as well.
I have bought bags of plantain chips from dollar store BUT they have palm oil.
I am trying to keep my 60,000 miles of blood vessels unclogged.
Thank you for sourcing Healthy and reasonably priced food.
XO W
Thank you for your sauce recipes – all of them.
So simple but with blasts of flavour.
I am making this right now to eat with veggies that have been steamed.
May try TOSTONES one day as well.
I have bought bags of plantain chips from dollar store BUT the have palm oil.
I am trying to keep my 60,000 miles of blood vessels unclogged.
Thank you for sourcing Healthy and reasonably priced food.
XO W
I’m so pleased I found this! I had the pink sauce a while ago and wondered what it was. I figured it was ketchup and Mayo, but could not get the flavor or proportions right. Added the hot sauce and followed the recipe and now it’s the way I had it at the restaurant a few years ago. Very good!
I have been making Mayo Ketchup sauce for over 40 years. Loved it with fish sticks, great in pasta tuna salad, on turkey sandwiches and as a dressing in tossed salads. Recently started adding worsteschire sauce and sweet paprika to the mix, adds an extra sparkle.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
This “recipe” could’ve easily been included with the tostones recipe. Posting it separately is a transparent attempt to increase ad revenue by making readers click two links instead of just one.
This website is going downhill fast. Beth never should’ve outsourced to so many other writers. Their recipes are almost never as good as hers, and it’s gotten to the point that whenever a new recipe is posted, I check to see if Beth posted it. If not, then I usually just ignore it and move on with my day unless it’s something that looks really good (which often is not the case).
I feel the same, but there isn’t much point in posting about it as the author Monti will just argue and get defensive in the comments. As silly as it is for this to be a “final straw” I’m
feeling like my time with this website has come to a close… much appreciation to Beth for many great years of affordable recipes!
I second Jill’s comments. I appreciate the need for additional content creators, but the condescending, argumentative and defensive tone in response to comments is incredibly off putting. Part of why I read this blog is for Beth’s rational and intelligent tone which keeps the focus on successful cooking and tends to shut down any drama.
Hi Brad! The reason I asked Monti to post this individually is because it’s useful for so many other things than just Tostones, and if someone was looking for instruction on how to make mayo ketchup (several thousands of people actually Google it every month), I want them to be able to find it here, but Google won’t show it to them if it’s hidden within the tostones blog post. :) I’m flattered that you like my recipes so much and hopefully, you’ll stick around for those and find a few other gems in the mean time. ;)
Brad, have you ever paid Beth for using her recipes? We are all browsing her recipes for FREE to use at home! So, I wouldn’t rush to poo-poo someone depending on ad revenue in order for her to maintain her online presence and keep on providing us with recipes that are FREE for us to use. It’s the way it works. Don’t like it? Buy a cookbook. The end.
Jeez guys, lighten up!!! I’m 71 y/o and love to cook. I also love Budgetbytes for fresh ideas when I’m stumped. Mayo & ketchup reminds me of the amazing Thousand Island dressing my wonderful Aunt Anna made us: mayo, chili sauce and a little horseradish. To an 8 y/o it was magic and I still make it. Thanks Beth et al for all the wonderful recipes and offering encouragement to people at all levels of expertise!
This website is going downhill. Beth, where are you??
Hi Holly, Beth hasn’t gone anywhere. It was actually Beth’s decision to include a separate post for Mayo Ketchup. I hope that helps you feel more confident that while our site is expanding to be inclusive of a much wider audience, our fearless leader is still at the helm calling the shots. A similar though slightly more complex version of my Mayo Ketchup recipe has been published (and purchased) by both the Washington Post and Spruce Eats.
I’m here! :D But it’s far too much work for just one person, so I’m onboarding help. 😅 It may be a bumpy ride for a while, but it’s either that or I self-destruct. 😆
I remember that feeling with my all of clients. I’m glad you are taking measures to get help! I’m a fan who isn’t liking all the changes, but I’m willing to stick it out because there is so much excellent content on your site! If you want feedback that’s not in the comment section (kinda volatile), maybe put a survey that goes just to you. Thanks so much for all of your efforts.
I really don’t want to seem ungrateful because I used to be a huge fan but I am starting to feel the web is turning into “recipes for students” or something.
I grew up drastically as a cook thanks to Beth’s website but now I don’t feel the web progresses/grows up with me anymore. It breaks my heart to admit it but I’m using it less and less despite the fact my economical situation isn’t much better – but, seriously. Mayo ketchup is mayo kétchup. Its not even salsa rosa.
I hope Beth and the team take into account the members’ feedback and we start getting fun, creative, innovative recipes again.
Hi Alla,
It’s exciting to hear you have advanced in your culinary prowess thanks to Budget Bytes. Thank you for sharing that with us. Keep in mind that our audience ranges in the millions and your experience is just one of many. We have a lot of audience members that are brand new to the kitchen. As someone that teaches cooking in real life to students all across the country, I can tell you with all honesty it can be really scary what people don’t know. I had someone ask me how to get an egg out of a hard boiled egg once. Some kids don’t realize fruit grows on trees. That’s real talk, and one of the reasons I do this for a living. We cater to beginner, intermediate, and advanced cooks. So while this recipe might not be for you. there are plenty more for you to try. You should check out our Comeback Sauce. It’s basically mayo-ketchup with different ratios and a few spices thrown in. And if you have the time, teach someone in your life all of the tricks you have learned. The world needs more cooks! xoxo
Even teenagers don’t need an entire “recipe” on mixing mayo and ketchup together. Get real.
Hi Holly, You’d be surprised! Several thousands of people search for “mayo ketchup” a month, so I wanted to make sure we were filling that need. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years is that there is nothing “too basic” for beginner cooks. So, I asked Monti to make it an individual post for this recipe for those who need it, but it’s definitely not going to be relevant to everyone!
I had mayo ketchup once out at a restaurant as a sauce on something and came home and googled it so I would know the ratios.
I don’t really understand why people are getting so bent out of shape about free recipes on a website that no one is forcing them to make.
I’m with you Alla – a little disappointed my favorite recipe website is posting “mayo ketchup” as a stand-alone recipe. IMO it would have been just fine to include “bonus tip – serve these with a mix of equal parts mayo and ketchup as the dipping sauce” in the recently posted tostones recipe, if the intent is to offer ideas for beginners.
completely agree with megan— this didn’t need to be its own recipe and could’ve been an extra sentence in the previous recipe
In the 70s, my mom would mix this together for a salad dressing, sans hot sauce. I have used it as a French fry dip for years and had to laugh when I saw this posted. Mixing commercial condiments together isn’t a recipe by any means and not worthy of this site.
While it seems simple, I promise no one is born knowing that you can mix mayo and ketchup together or in what ratio! 😅 You had your mom to teach you, but not everyone is that fortunate. We cater to all cooking levels, even those who have never set foot in a the kitchen before. So please remember, even if it seems simple for you, it might not be for everyone. :)
On the surface, it does seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people are intimidated by something as simple as mixing ketchup and mayo. They may have questions like, what ratio? Do I need to add anything else? What should I serve it with? How long does it keep? After doing this for fifteen years I never assume anything is too simple to explain. Several thousand people search for “mayo ketchup” every month, so there’s definitely a need and we want to be there to help! :)
It certainly has slowed down a bit, unfortunately. It does seem like when I come to use budgetbytes it’s usually the old classics and not so much the new stuff.
But super appreciative of all the amazing free content that budgetbytes has put out and I’ll always swing by even if it’s just to see a recipe combining mayonnaise and ketchup.
Other than the hot sauce, this is my mom’s French fry sauce.
Fry sauce FTW! PS Call your mom, she loves you. xoxo