Is In-N-Out's Sauce Just Thousand Island Dressing? Not Exactly

In-N-Out Burger's menu is small but mighty, with a "not-so-secret" secret menu where you can order burgers or fries "animal style," meaning the restaurant will top the items with grilled onions, pickles, and an extra special sauce. Restaurants have a long history of using secret special sauces to add flavor and a touch of mystery to a dish, and In-N-Out is no stranger to this tradition, boasting its own special sauce. While it's not exactly the same as Thousand Island dressing, it's no wonder that people compare the two tangy pink sauces, as they are incredibly similar in taste, texture, and appearance. 

In-N-Out's special sauce recipe, which the restaurant chain refers to as "spread," has remained consistent since opening in 1948. The first few main ingredients are soybean or canola oil, cucumbers, tomatoes, white vinegar, and whole eggs. Other seasonings included in the spread are sugar, mustard seeds, salt, turmeric, and onion and garlic powders, as well as paprika. 

In comparison, the first few ingredients in Kraft's Thousand Island dressing are soybean oil, tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, egg yolks, and chopped pickles. Certain recipes may also include mustard powder (instead of In-N-Out's mustard seeds), dried onion (compared to onion powder), and red bell peppers (rather than paprika). Some Thousand Island dressings even include celery seeds, which are notably absent from In-N-Out's spread, meanwhile garlic is featured in the spread, but not always included in Thousand Island dressing.

In reality, In-N-Out's spread and a classic Thousand Island dressing are very, very similar, and it's likely only die-hard fans of the burger chain would be able to differentiate between the two sauces. If you're looking for a dupe for In-N-Out's signature sauce, Trader Joe's has an excellent version. If you'd rather make your own In-N-Out spread at home, most recipes are fairly basic, combining mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, distilled white vinegar, and a pinch of sugar. While it won't be exactly the same as the restaurant's unique spread, it will likely satisfy, especially when slathered all over a toasted bun and paired with homemade cheeseburgers.

Our favorite Thousand Island dressing recipe also includes minced red onion and garlic, which give the dressing a bit more texture and a sharper bite from the raw alliums. Not only delicious on cheeseburgers, Thousand Island dressing (much like In-N-Out's spread) makes a great dip for shrimp cocktail and, of course, is an excellent salad dressing, particularly on a wedge salad. The creamy pink dressing is even a staple for reuben sandwiches, and you could also use it in place of mayo when making deviled eggs for a bit of a tangy twist in the classic chilled appetizer.