11 Best Wendy’s Sauces, Ranked
Wendy’s has a variety of delicious menu items, and they can be made even more diverse with the selection of sauces. From chicken nuggets to burgers to sides, Wendy’s menu items can be paired with different sauces.
Wendy’s has six dipping sauces, including Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Buttermilk Ranch, Ghost Pepper Ranch, Sweet and Sour, and Ketchup.
In addition, Wendy’s offers five sauces that can be added to nearly any burger or chicken sandwich, including Cheddar Cheese, Smoky Honey Mustard, Beer Cheese, Hot Honey, and Bourbon Bacon.
Some Wendy’s sauces are creamy, others are sweet or tangy, and a few even pack some heat.
The sauces at Wendy’s can put a tasty twist on your favorite menu items, but some stand out more than the rest.
We tried all Wendy’s sauces and ranked them to help you decide which flavor to try next.
11. Ketchup
Ketchup is a standard condiment that doesn’t stand out enough to rank higher than any other Wendy’s dipping sauce, but we’re still happy that it’s an option.
The tomato-based sauce pairs well with Wendy’s chicken nuggets, fries, and most burgers, making it a great go-to with almost any meal.
With only 10 calories per packet, ketchup contains the least number of calories among all Wendy’s dipping sauces.
In addition, it doesn’t contain any common allergens, making it a great option for most people.
10. Buttermilk Ranch
Ranch is one of those flavors that seems to go well with everything.
Whether you’re dressing your salad or dipping your nuggets and fries, the creamy, tangy flavor of the ranch can be a tasty complement.
However, ranch can also be bland, runny, and unappetizing when it’s not done right, and we think that Wendy’s Buttermilk Ranch sauce sadly leans in that direction.
The Buttermilk Ranch sauce at Wendy’s has an initial punch of garlic and herbal flavors, but a bland creamy taste quickly replaces it, leaving us a bit disappointed.
There’s not enough tang in this sauce to offset the savory flavors of our favorite Wendy’s menu items.
In addition, a thicker consistency would make it better for dipping.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Buttermilk Ranch sauce include:
- Soybean Oil
- Water
- Cultured Buttermilk
- Corn Syrup
- Distilled Vinegar
- Egg Yolks
- Dried Torula Yeast
- Garlic and Onion Powder
Wendy’s Buttermilk Ranch sauce has 90 calories per serving and contains milk and eggs.
9. Honey Mustard
The sweet and tangy flavors of honey mustard sauce pair well with chicken and fries, and we love Wendy’s version.
However, a slight change in the sweet to tangy ratio can affect the balance and drastically alter the flavor.
While Wendy’s Honey Mustard sauce has a bit of both, the tangy vinegar is more forward and may not be for everyone’s taste.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Honey Mustard sauce include:
- Water
- Soybean Oil
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Dijon Mustard
- Distilled Vinegar
- Honey
- Egg Yolks
- Spices
Wendy’s Honey Mustard sauce has 70 calories per serving and contains eggs.
8. Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Wendy’s Cheddar Cheese sauce is for all the cheese fanatics out there!
It’s thick and creamy with a sharp cheddar flavor that perfectly tops any Wendy’s burger.
This sauce allows us to create the cheesiest burger possible and is a great alternative to the Beer Cheese sauce that comes on Wendy’s Bacon Pub burgers and chicken sandwiches.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Cheddar Cheese sauce include:
- Water
- Cheddar Cheese
- Butter
- Modified Corn Starch
- Canola Oil
- Salt
- Whey Protein Concentrate
- Tomato Concentrate
Wendy’s Cheddar Cheese sauce can be added in lite, regular, or xtra size. The regular size has 20 calories per serving.
Note that this sauce contains milk and soy.
7. Smoky Honey Mustard
Wendy’s Smoky Honey Mustard sauce is a unique take on a classic flavor that can be ordered on most Wendy’s burgers and chicken sandwiches.
It’s particularly worth trying if you enjoy the original Honey Mustard sauce.
The main ingredients in this smoky rendition of the sweet and tangy sauce include:
- Soybean Oil
- Dijon Mustard
- Water
- Honey
- Tomato Paste
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Egg Yolk
- Distilled Vinegar
- Mustard Seed
- Corn Syrup
Wendy’s Smoky Honey Mustard sauce can be added in lite, regular, or xtra size. The regular size has 50 calories per serving.
Note that this sauce contains eggs if you’re allergic to it.
6. Beer Cheese Sauce
If you haven’t heard of Wendy’s Beer Cheese sauce, you’ll have to keep an eye out for it at various locations.
This sauce is paired with Wendy’s Bacon Pub burgers and chicken sandwiches, which are served on a delicious pretzel bun.
Unfortunately, these menu items are only available at select locations, and we recommend trying these European-inspired items if you can find them.
The Beer Cheese sauce at Wendy’s contains several types of cheese, spices, and flavors, and we love pairing it with our fries and burgers.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Beer Cheese sauce include:
- White Cheddar Cheese
- Water
- Beer
- Milk
- Neufchatel Cheese
- Cream
- Roux
- Dijon Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Sugar
- Spices
Wendy’s Beer Cheese sauce can be added in lite, regular, or xtra size. The regular size has 30 calories per serving.
Note that this sauce contains milk, soy, and wheat.
5. Sweet & Sour
Wendy’s Sweet & Sour sauce shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you enjoy the type of sweet and sour sauce found in Chinese take-out meals.
This dipping sauce has the same jelly-like consistency and perfectly balances the two dominant flavors.
The ingredients in this sauce aren’t anything to rave about, with the first ingredient being the ever-controversial high fructose corn syrup.
However, we like the tangy flavor that comes from the real pineapple juice concentrate.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Sweet & Sour sauce include:
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Water
- Distilled Vinegar
- Pineapple Juice Concentrate
- Dried Green and Red Bell Peppers
- Soybean Oil
- Spices
Wendy’s Sweet & Sour sauce has 40 calories per serving.
4. Ghost Pepper Ranch
Wendy’s Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce starts with the original Buttermilk Ranch sauce base, but the additional ingredients in this recipe give it the forward flavor missing in the original.
Ghost peppers are one of the spiciest peppers, with up to 400 times the spiciness of jalapeño when the heat units are measured on the Scoville scale.
However, the creaminess of this sauce balances the spiciness, making it perfect for anyone who enjoys a bit of heat.
The Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce replaced the Creamy Sriracha sauce that was previously on Wendy’s menu.
Although this change had mixed reviews, we like the new version better as it adds the right amount of heat to Wendy’s sauce selection.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce include:
- Soybean Oil
- Water
- Cultured Buttermilk
- Vinegar
- Egg Yolks
- Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Dried Torula Yeast
- Spices
- Dried Parsley
- Ghost Chili Powder
Wendy’s Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce has 100 calories per serving and contains milk and eggs.
3. Barbecue
Barbecue sauce is one of those flavors that crosses culinary boundaries.
It comes with various degrees of sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors, and Wendy’s version doesn’t disappoint.
In fact, Wendy’s BBQ sauce is consistently raved about by fans and is frequently considered to be one of the best BBQ sauces.
However, Wendy’s changed the BBQ sauce recipe in 2019, and some upset customers still petition against it.
The newest version is considered sweeter and less spicy than it used to be.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s BBQ sauce include:
- Water
- Sugar
- Tomato Paste
- Distilled Vinegar
- Worcestershire
- Molasses
- Salt
- Chili Powder
- Spices
Wendy’s BBQ sauce has 40 calories per serving and contains no common allergens.
2. Hot Honey Sauce
Wendy’s Hot Honey sauce is featured on the Hot Honey Chicken sandwich lineup, but it can be added to most Wendy’s burgers and sandwiches.
The sweet and spicy flavor of this sauce pairs wonderfully with any chicken meal.
In addition, the use of real mango, papaya, tamarind, and banana puree in the pepper sauce makes it stand out.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Hot Honey sauce include:
- Honey
- Water
- Brown Sugar
- Habanero Pepper Sauce
- Sugar
- Distilled Vinegar
Wendy’s Hot Honey sauce can be added in lite, regular, or xtra sizes. The regular size has 50 calories.
1. Bourbon Bacon Sauce
Wendy’s Bourbon Bacon sauce made its debut with the Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger series, but it can be ordered with almost any Wendy’s sandwich or burger.
This Wendy’s sauce ranked top on our list because it’s arguably one of the best discoveries on the menu.
We love to pair this tangy and smoky sauce with any of Wendy’s chicken sandwiches.
We also love it on the savory and stacked cheeseburger that the sauce was originally intended for.
The main ingredients in Wendy’s Bourbon Bacon sauce include:
- Water
- Sugar
- Molasses
- Cider Vinegar
- Salt
- Uncured Bacon
- Water
- Canola Oil
- Organic Molasses
Wendy’s Bourbon Bacon sauce can be added in lite, regular, or xtra sizes. The regular size has 40 calories.
Conclusion
There’s no shortage of Wendy’s sauces and the combinations that can be created with them.
We love the sweet and smoky flavors of the Bourbon Bacon sauce. However, there’s no denying the deliciousness of their Sweet & Sour and Ghost Pepper Ranch sauces.
Whether you want to add some heat or an extra flavor to your favorite meal, there’s a sauce for every appetite on Wendy’s menu.
For more information about Wendy’s, check out the articles below.
