Fans Can't Believe What The Main Ingredient Is In McDonald's Sweet & Sour Sauce (2024)

Fans Can't Believe What The Main Ingredient Is In McDonald's Sweet & Sour Sauce (1)

Chances are, that if you're a lover of all things Macca's, then you're a lover of all things Macca's dips and sauces. Yep! No McDonald's meal (be it breakfast, lunch or dinner) is complete without a side of at least two trusty sauces. Whether it's ketchup, BBQ or – my favourite – sweet chilli, there's no way we're walking out of McDonald's leaving behind the very dips that make the meal, who's with us?

So you can imagine how we responded to discovering that perhaps one of McDonald's most sought-after sauces: sweet and sour, was made with... (prepare yourselves) apricots. No – really, it's not pineapple, it's not mango. It's apricot.

Now, we've got nothing against the stone fruit, but it has to be said, we absolutely did *not* expect for it to be the main ingredient used to make one of our favourite sauces from McDonald's.

Spotted online via TikTok, @evs_kii shared a video asking if anyone knew what McDonald's sweet and sour sauce was made from, before revealing it was in fact apricot. The video has reeled in over 390,000 views, along with 23,000 likes and hundreds of comments from likeminded fans who had no clue what the sauce was made from.

Heading to your nearest McDonald's to confirm this? Since you're already making the trip, then it's worth putting you on the fast food chain's latest menu launches. Say hello to McDonald's McCrispy, BBQ Bacon Stack, Mini Potato Waffles, Nacho Cheese Bites and Twirl McFlurry. Worth the trip? We think so.

Fans Can't Believe What The Main Ingredient Is In McDonald's Sweet & Sour Sauce (5)

Marianna Gould

Maz Gould is the Digital Writer at Delish UK, assisting the Editor in the running of the site, as well as writing food news, meaningful features and fun product round-ups.She’s passionate about all things food and drink, and has a WSET Level 2 Award in wines.When she’s not in work, Maz is drinking her way around London’s best co*cktail bars, trying as many Lychee Martinis as possible.

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Fans Can't Believe What The Main Ingredient Is In McDonald's Sweet & Sour Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Fans Can't Believe What The Main Ingredient Is In McDonald's Sweet & Sour Sauce? ›

'How do people not know this? ' one asked. 'Sweet n Sour is essentially Apricot jam and white vinegar,' another claimed. Other ingredients in Sweet 'n Sour sauce include salt, xanthan gum, peach puree, garlic powder, cellulose gum, caramel colour, extractives of paprika dried chili peppers, onion powder and more.

What is the main ingredient in McDonald's sweet and sour sauce? ›

Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Apricot Puree Concentrate And/or Peach Puree Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, Contains 2% Or Less: Soy Sauce (water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Salt, Modified Food Starch, Sherry Wine Powder, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Natural ...

What is sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.

When was sweet and sour sauce invented by McDonald's? ›

Dipping sauces were first introduced at McDonald's in 1982 to accompany the fast food chain's popular McNuggets, but still to this day some people aren't aware of what its Sweet 'n' Sour sauce is actually made of. And it turns out there's a particular fruit in the condiment that many people might not have expected.

Why does McDonald's sweet and sour sauce taste different? ›

While the sauce, a mainstay of American Chinese restaurants, usually has a tomato-y element, the appeal of the McDonald's version lies in its simpler taste and its use of apricot and peach purée. But it's the texture that makes the sweet-and-sour a work of art.

What is McDonald's special sauce made of? ›

Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Sweet Relish (diced Pickles, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Corn Syrup, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, Spice Extractives), Water, Egg Yolks, Distilled Vinegar, Spices, Onion Powder, Salt, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Garlic Powder, Vegetable Protein (hydrolyzed Corn, ...

What is McDonald's mayonnaise made out of? ›

Ingredients: Soybean oil, Water, Liquid egg yolk, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Mustard seeds, Mustard bran, Xanthan gum, Potassium sorbate, Calcium disodium EDTA.

What is sweet and sour mix made of? ›

Sour mix (also known as sweet and sour mix) is a mixer that is yellow-green in color and is used in many co*cktails. It is made from approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup and shaken vigorously with ice. This produces a pearly-white liquid with a pronounced flavor.

Is sweet and sour sauce actually Chinese? ›

Some authors say that the original sweet and sour sauce (traditional Chinese: 糖醋醬; simplified Chinese: 糖醋酱; pinyin: tángcùjiàng) came from the Chinese province of Henan, but the sauce in this area is a light vinegar and sugar mixture not resembling what most people, including the Chinese, would call sweet and sour.

What is sweet and sour dressing made of? ›

Directions. Stir together sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onion, and ketchup until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk the vegetable oil into the onion mixture until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour; shake well before using.

What sauce did McDonald's bring back? ›

McDonald's has brought back Szechuan Sauce, exclusively on McDonald's App, for a limited time. This sauce, made with soy, garlic, ginger and a bit of vinegar, is a favorite for dipping Chicken McNuggets, but it's so tasty, the possibilities are truly endless.

What food did McDonald's originally sell? ›

The original McDonald's menu offered hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, milk, root beer, orangeade, Coca-Cola, coffee, and three kinds of milkshakes: chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.

What was the old McDonald's burger with mayonnaise? ›

Big N' Tasty, introduced in 1997 in California, was a 4-ounce (110 g) beef patty with ketchup, cheese, mayonnaise with grilled, diced onions, pickles, leaf lettuce, and tomatoes. It was devised to resemble Burger King's Whopper sandwich.

Why don't McDonald's fries taste as good as they used to? ›

And so McDonald's bowed to the public pressure and changed their fry oil. But of course the story doesn't end there, because the oil they replaced the tallow with was hydrogenated vegetable oil, which not only didn't taste as good as the beef tallow but also contained a hearty helping of trans-fats.

Why does McDonald's taste different now? ›

Fewer burgers are placed on the grill, which somehow results in a hotter, juicier, tastier burger, and the diced white onions are added to the beef patties on the grill as they are cooking, rather than afterwards at the prep table. The cheese has been “tempered” longer to make it meltier as well, Schafer says.

Why does McDonald's co*ke taste different than others? ›

We all know that soda tastes better when it's ice cold. McDonald's makes sure that your co*ke is chilled at every stage, even before it reaches the soda fountain. The stainless steel used to store the syrup is extremely effective when it comes to temperature control, so the syrup always stays cold (and fresh).

Does McDonald's sweet and sour sauce have mustard in it? ›

Apricot and peach blended with spicy vinegar, teriyaki, mustard and worcestershire sauces.

Who makes the sauce for McDonald's? ›

In 2014 CHUMAK started manufacturing of sauces for McDonald's, namely ketchup, mayonnaise, and later –Sauce “Ukrainskyi”. This year we again extended the cooperation, having manufactured Cheese Sauce by order of McDonald's. Today, CHUMAK supplies more than 10 kinds of products to McDonald's restaurants.

What is the most ordered sauce at McDonald's? ›

Sweet and Sour Sauce

This sauce has a tangy and sweet flavor that goes well with chicken nuggets and fried foods. The Sweet and Sour Sauce at McDonald's is a tangy and flavorful dipping sauce that pairs perfectly with a variety of menu items. It is a versatile and widely popular condiment.

Does McDonald's Sweet and Sour have pineapple? ›

The flavoring of McDonald's Sweet & Sour dip has sent some TikTokkers into a tailspin after an account revealed which fruit plays a central role in its tang. While some suggested pineapple might be the elusive star of the smooth sauce, others have been left “shaken” by the discovery that it is in fact apricot.

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