Ketchup is the classic dip, but golden, crisp potatoes are the perfect vehicle for a world of flavor. Just put the ketchup down a sec and give these other French fry dips and sauces a fair shake.
The World’s Best French Fry Dips, Ranked
Updated Dec. 20, 2022
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Milkshakes
The first person to randomly dip his or her fry into a milkshake really struck gold—it’s a combination of sweet and salty, hot and cold that delights your taste buds like no other. Unbeatable!
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Ranch Dressing
As college students across the country know, the beauty of ranch dressing is that you can dip just about anything into it. French fries are no exception—they really play well off of its cool, herbaceous flavor.
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Fry Sauce
This is a Utah-born condiment consisting of equal parts ketchup and mayonnaise (with other ingredients like pickle juice sometimes thrown in). It sounds like Mayochup to us!
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Malt Vinegar
Anyone who’s ventured across the pond and eaten chips in the UK is familiar with the beauty of sprinkling malt vinegar onto a basket of hot fries. The Brits might be onto something.
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Bacon Jam
Fatty and sweet, bacon jam is perhaps the quintessential partner for salty, earthy fries. You might have to work a little harder to get that bacon to stick to your fry, but it’s worth the effort.
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Brown Gravy (and Cheese Curds)
Canadians have mastered the art of poutine, which is essentially a heap of fries topped with brown gravy and cheese curds. The combination may seem random, but it totally works!
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Mayonnaise
Some argue that the perfect pairing to a helping of French fries is good old-fashioned mayonnaise. It’s certainly as widely available as ketchup and is notably the go-to condiment for fries in the Netherlands.
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Cheese Sauce
Whether you dip them or douse them, cheese fries are an undeniably decadent treat. There’s almost as much to be said for good ol’ processed cheese as for something more elegant like, say, gruyere fondue. Cheddar works, too! No judgment here.
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Steak Sauce
No need to open more than one bottle when you’re eating your meat—it only makes sense to eat thick-cut steak fries with earthy, umami-rich steak sauce. You might just find yourself reaching for the sauce even with no steak in sight.
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Remoulade
France has claimed remoulade as its French fry dip of choice. This super-flavorful and creamy blend of mayo, pickles, horseradish and other seasonings suits their pommes frites perfectly.
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Aioli
Aioli is a mayonnaise-based sauce seasoned with garlic (and sometimes more), so it holds the same appeal as creamy mayo with the added bonus of some potency from garlic and lemon juice. It’s so dippable!
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Barbecue Sauce
If your salty fries need a little more sweet (and spicy)—reach for barbecue sauce. Fortunately, it’s almost always on hand at places that serve fries. This may be one of the best French fry dips hiding in plain sight.
Try out these dips with this French fry charcuterie board.
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Mustard
Mustard’s always been there at the table, relegated usually to the hot dogs and burgers. But you might be surprised by how delicious French fries are when dipped in mustard—especially the spicy kind. This versatile condiment takes a backseat to ketchup no more.
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Hot Sauce
While you can dull the zing of hot sauce by combining it with mayonnaise, the bold opt to dip their fries right into the fiery red liquid. It gives those fried potatoes just the right amount of punch.
By the way—we made the ultimate guide to hot sauces and how to use them.
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Guacamole
It’s not every day that you’re served guacamole and French fries in the same meal, but if you get the chance to combine the two, do it! Let’s face it, guac is great on anything.
Originally Published: April 02, 2019
