The Ingredients In Culver's Signature Sauce That Give It Major Depth Of Flavor

In July 2023, Culver's announced that it had created its first signature sauce, intended to be a unique taste experience among fast food restaurants. If you haven't tried it yet, you might ask, what is Culver's Signature Sauce? It's often described as a tangy, creamy treat that boasts notes of ​​buttermilk, savory Parmesan, and hints of blue cheese. Yet, when you try it, you will detect more interesting flavors hidden within this sauce's profile. Discovering what they are and how they affect the sauce's taste will help you make your own version at home.

When you break down the ingredients of Culver's Signature Sauce, you'll find that it is basically composed of a mayonnaise base with buttermilk, Parmesan, blue cheese, garlic, onion, and spices, which you might expect from the description of the taste. Looking further at the ingredients, however, you'll discover the sauce contains jalapeños and chipotle pepper powder, which add a touch of heat; yeast extract, which adds a meaty and rich umami flavor; mustard flour, which is tangy and pungent; dried bell peppers, contributing a peppery flavor; and a bit of sweetness from sugar. These ingredients add depth to the base recipe and create interesting contrasts, such as spicy and sweet, as well as complementary combinations of creamy, rich cheeses, and an overall sense of umami. To experience this flavor in a variety of ways, use one of our Culver's ordering hacks and add this signature sauce to customize your menu options when you place an order. 

If you really like Culver's Signature Sauce, you might enjoy making it at home to complement your burgers, chicken sandwiches, and fries, as well as using it as a dipper for cheese curds, poppers, or other appetizers. To make the sauce at home, you can choose to start with a mild-tasting, basic copycat Culver's Signature Sauce recipe, blending four parts mayonnaise to one part of both buttermilk and Parmesan cheese, then mix in some blue cheese crumbles, garlic and onion powder to taste, as well as some salt and pepper. There are ways to get creative with this version, as there are nuances within many blue cheese varieties and the amount of spices you use.

If a little heat is to your liking, you can spice up your sauce by tossing in small amounts of a dry mustard, pickled jalapeños (or juice from the jar), and a dash of chipotle chili powder, then adding a touch of sweetness with sugar or agave syrup. If you're short on time, or want an even simpler idea, you could make a sauce using Roquefort dressing (featured in our list of old-school salad dressings) as a base for its blue cheese, adding mayonnaise to tame the blue cheese a bit, then adding Parmesan, garlic and onion powder, and spicy elements such as mustard or chili powder. Feel free to embrace your adventurous culinary sensibilities and play with additional ingredients to create your best version of Culver's Signature Sauce.