What Is Culver's Signature Sauce?

When it comes to classic burgers, Wisconsin-based Culver's made-to-order sandwiches are high on the list of fan favorites. But beyond the variety of burger styles, Culver's also offers an array of sauces to pair with its various menu items. Most of them would probably be familiar to the average diner, like buttermilk ranch, honey mustard, and name brands like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ and Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce. Yet there is one that is beloved by loyalists, but begs the question of what it actually is — and that's Culver's Signature Sauce.

It turns out that this stuff is pretty simple, described by the chain's website as "creamy and tangy with notes of buttermilk, Parmesan cheese, a touch of spice, and just a hint of savory blue cheese." What that translates to in terms of ingredients is a bit more complicated, however.

The spice likely comes from jalapeño and chipotle pepper, along with mustard powder, aromatics, and seasonings like garlic powder, dried onion, green, and red bell pepper. And then there are the cheeses: the list includes Parmesan, Romano, and blue. There's some distilled vinegar and sugar in the mix, too, ensuring that the sauce has depth and balance. Of course, there are also some elements in this sauce that perform non-flavorful functions, including preservatives, stabilizers, and emulsifiers for creaminess and shelf life. But generally speaking, Culver's signature sauce is a flavorful formula prepared to satisfy diners of all kinds.

You can see how this stuff would be delicious smeared on a Culver classic ButterBurger. With fresh beef that's seasoned with salt and pepper, pressed and seared on a grill, and flipped only once to ensure juices stay put, Culver's so-called grill masters put a lot of effort and love into their preparation, and a smear of this sauce would be a nice touch.

It's also a safe bet that it would work well on your Culver's sourdough melt, crispy chicken, or beef pot roast sandwiches. They would all benefit from that tangy-spicy-creamy dollop. On the other hand, using it as a dip for the chain's chicken tenders (and give the definitive ranking of McDonald's nugget sauces a run for its money), crinkle cut fries, or onion rings makes tasty sense. And if you somehow have leftover sauce, garnish it with some blue cheese crumbles and serve with veggie crudite and crackers for a slightly elevated iteration.

Culver's has a reputation for quality (it's among chain restaurants that use quality chicken, for example), and it has some serious fans (including Andrew Zimmern, whose favorite fast food burger comes from this place). This signature sauce, which is packed with flavor, might explain some of its widespread appeal.