If you have ever ordered a Del Taco grilled chicken taco and thought, “What is that creamy sauce?”, you are not alone.

Del Taco describes the sauce on its Grilled Chicken Taco as a savory secret sauce. The taco is made with grilled marinated chicken, secret sauce, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and a warm flour tortilla.

This Del Taco secret sauce recipe is my homemade copycat version of that creamy, tangy white sauce. It takes only a few minutes to mix, and the flavor gets better after a short rest in the refrigerator.

It is creamy, lightly tangy, slightly sweet, and savory without being overly spicy.

Why You’ll Like This Recipe

The best thing about this sauce is how little work it takes.

You do not need a blender, food processor, or unusual ingredients. Just whisk everything together, chill it, and taste it before serving.

It is especially good on chicken tacos, but I also like it with fries, burritos, quesadillas, and sandwiches.

At a glance

Detail	Amount
Prep time	5 minutes
Chill time	30 minutes
Total time	35 minutes
Yield	About ¾ cup
Difficulty	Easy
Best use	Tacos, chicken, burritos, fries

Del Taco Secret Sauce Ingredients

For this Del Taco white sauce recipe, you will need:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• A small pinch of black pepper

The base is intentionally simple.

The mayonnaise gives the sauce its creamy body. Buttermilk adds a gentle tang, while lime and vinegar give it the sharper finish that keeps the sauce from tasting too heavy.

Garlic and onion powder round out the savory flavor.

A Note About the Original Del Taco Sauce

This is a copycat recipe, not a claim that these are Del Taco’s exact proportions.

Del Taco’s published ingredient information for its secret sauce has included soybean oil, water, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, sugar, buttermilk solids, and other ingredients used for texture and preservation.

That is why a mayonnaise-and-buttermilk approach makes sense for a homemade version: it gets you into the same creamy, tangy flavor family without trying to reproduce commercial stabilizers and preservatives in your kitchen.

How to Make Del Taco Secret Sauce

1. Add the mayonnaise and buttermilk

Put the mayonnaise and buttermilk in a small bowl.

Whisk them until smooth.

Do not worry if the mixture looks a little thicker than you expected. The lime juice will loosen it slightly.

2. Add the lime and vinegar

Pour in the fresh lime juice and white vinegar.

Whisk again until everything is evenly combined.

At this point, the sauce should have a smooth, spoonable consistency.

3. Add the seasonings

Add the garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper.

Whisk until you no longer see dry seasoning sitting on the surface.

4. Taste before chilling

This is the step I would not skip.

Taste a small amount.

If it tastes too rich, add a few drops of lime juice.

If it tastes too sharp, add a little more mayonnaise.

If it needs more savory flavor, add a tiny pinch of salt.

Make small adjustments. It is much easier to add more than to fix an over-seasoned sauce.

5. Chill the sauce

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

The sauce is technically ready as soon as everything is mixed, but the short rest helps the flavors settle together.

Give it another quick stir before serving.

What Does Del Taco Secret Sauce Taste Like?

The easiest way to describe secret sauce Del Taco style is creamy, tangy, savory, and mildly sweet.

It is not meant to taste like a hot pepper sauce.

The creamy base comes first, followed by a little acidity and a mild savory finish.

People discussing Del Taco’s sauce online commonly describe it as a creamy white sauce and associate it with the grilled chicken taco.

That is also why simply mixing mayonnaise with a large amount of hot sauce does not give the same style of sauce. The target here is creamy and tangy, not fiery.

Del Taco White Sauce Recipe Tips

Use full-fat mayonnaise if possible

Since mayonnaise makes up most of the sauce, its flavor matters.

A mild mayonnaise works better than one with a very strong vinegar flavor.

Start with less lime

Fresh lime can vary a lot in acidity.

I recommend starting with the amount in the recipe and tasting after mixing rather than pouring in extra lime immediately.

Let it rest

Freshly mixed sauce can taste sharper than it does after chilling.

Give it 30 minutes before making major adjustments.

Keep the sauce creamy

If you want a drizzle for tacos, add a tiny splash of buttermilk.

If you want a thicker spread for sandwiches, use a little less buttermilk.

How to Make Del Taco Secret Sauce Thinner

If your sauce is too thick for drizzling, do not add a lot of liquid at once.

Add ½ teaspoon of buttermilk, stir, and check the texture.

Repeat only if necessary.

This gives you a much smoother sauce than adding a tablespoon of liquid and trying to correct it afterward.

How to Make It Thicker

If you want a thicker Del Taco white sauce, add mayonnaise one teaspoon at a time.

This works especially well if you are using the sauce as a sandwich spread or dipping sauce.

How to Make It Spicier

The basic recipe is mild.

If you want some heat, add one of these:

• A pinch of cayenne
• A little hot sauce
• Finely chopped jalapeño
• A small pinch of chili powder

I prefer adding the heat gradually.

The creamy base should still be noticeable.

What to Eat With Del Taco Secret Sauce

This sauce is especially good with foods that already have some browning, crunch, or spice.

Try it with:

• Grilled chicken tacos
• Chicken soft tacos
• Beef tacos
• Burritos
• Quesadillas
• Taco bowls
• French fries
• Crispy potatoes
• Chicken sandwiches
• Burgers
• Grilled vegetables

My favorite easy combination

Warm a flour tortilla and add:

grilled chicken + shredded lettuce + cheddar cheese + Del Taco-style secret sauce

That combination works because the cool creamy sauce balances the warm chicken and crunchy lettuce.

It is also close to the ingredient combination Del Taco lists for its Grilled Chicken Taco.

Del Taco Secret Sauce Chicken

If you specifically want Del Taco secret sauce chicken, keep the chicken seasoning fairly straightforward.

You do not need a heavily spiced chicken if the sauce is doing most of the flavor work.

Season the chicken with:

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• A little chili powder or paprika

Cook the chicken until done, let it rest briefly, then chop or slice it.

Add it to a warm tortilla with lettuce, cheddar, and a spoonful of the sauce.

The sauce should complement the chicken rather than completely cover its flavor.

Can I Make This Without Buttermilk?

Yes.

If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by mixing milk with a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit briefly.

You can also use plain yogurt, although the finished sauce will be thicker and slightly different in flavor.

For the closest texture, actual buttermilk is the easier choice.

Can I Use Bottled Lime Juice?

You can, but fresh lime juice gives the sauce a cleaner flavor.

If bottled lime juice is what you have, start with a little less than the recipe calls for and adjust after tasting.

The acidity of bottled juices varies between brands.

How Long Does Homemade Del Taco Secret Sauce Last?

Keep the sauce covered and refrigerated.

Because this homemade version contains mayonnaise and buttermilk, do not leave it sitting out for long periods.

For the best quality, I prefer making a small batch and using it within a few days rather than keeping one large container for a long time.

Always use a clean spoon when serving.

If the sauce develops an unusual smell, appearance, or texture, discard it.

Del Taco Secret Sauce Calories

The calories in a homemade version depend mainly on the mayonnaise you use and how large your serving is.

For that reason, I would not give a single “exact” calorie number without knowing the specific brands and serving size.

For comparison, Del Taco currently lists its Grilled Chicken Taco at 210 calories per taco; that number is for the complete taco, not the secret sauce by itself.

If you need nutrition information for your homemade sauce, the most accurate approach is to calculate the recipe using the nutrition label of your actual ingredients.

Del Taco Secret Sauce Ingredients: Quick List

If you only came here for the ingredient list, here it is:

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper

Whisk.

Chill for 30 minutes.

Taste and adjust.

That is the whole recipe.

What Are the Sauces at Del Taco?

Del Taco has several different sauces, and the creamy secret sauce should not be confused with its hot sauce packets.

Its current menu identifies savory secret sauce on the Grilled Chicken Taco.

Del Taco’s webstore has also listed sauces such as Mild Sauce, Del Scorcho, and Del Inferno.

The easiest way to think about them is:

Sauce style	What to expect
Secret sauce	Creamy, savory, tangy
Mild sauce	Thin taco-style sauce
Del Scorcho	Hotter chile-style sauce
Del Inferno	More intense heat

Availability can change, so check Del Taco’s current menu or store if you are looking for a specific sauce.

Where Can I Buy Del Taco Scorcho Sauce?

If you are looking for Del Scorcho, you are looking for a different sauce from the creamy secret sauce in this recipe.

Del Taco has an official webstore where sauce packets have been offered, including Del Scorcho. Availability can change, so the current product listing is the best place to check.

What About the Del Taco Secret Menu?

The Del Taco secret menu is a separate topic from this recipe, but secret sauce is often mentioned in discussions about customized orders.

One commonly discussed option is ordering an item “bold,” which customers describe as adding secret sauce and fries. That is based on customer discussions rather than the recipe itself.

If you are making the sauce at home, you can use it to create your own version instead.

Del Taco Secret Sauce Reddit: What Are People Saying?

Reddit can be useful here because many Del Taco customers have tried to figure out the sauce over the years.

The recurring theme is that it is a creamy white sauce associated with the chicken tacos. Some discussions point toward mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and related ingredients rather than a conventional spicy taco sauce.

That matches the general direction of this copycat recipe.

Still, Reddit comments are not an official Del Taco ingredient statement, so I would treat them as useful clues rather than proof of the restaurant’s exact formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make secret sauce from Del Taco?

For this homemade copycat, whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Chill for about 30 minutes, then taste and adjust.

What are the sauces at Del Taco?

Del Taco uses several sauces, including the savory secret sauce listed with its Grilled Chicken Taco. It also sells sauces such as Mild Sauce, Del Scorcho, and Del Inferno. Sauces and availability can vary.

What is usually in secret sauce?

A creamy secret sauce like this is generally built around a mayonnaise-style base with acidity, salt, a little sweetness, and seasoning. Public ingredient information associated with Del Taco’s secret sauce has included soybean oil, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, sugar, and buttermilk solids.

Where can I buy Del Taco Scorcho sauce?

Del Scorcho is different from the creamy secret sauce. Del Taco’s webstore has offered Del Scorcho sauce packets, although availability can change.

Is Del Taco white sauce the same as secret sauce?

People commonly use “white sauce” to describe the creamy sauce served with Del Taco chicken tacos, while Del Taco itself uses the name “savory secret sauce” on its Grilled Chicken Taco.

What does Del Taco secret sauce taste like?

It is creamy, tangy, savory, and mildly sweet. It is much closer to a seasoned creamy sauce than a traditional hot taco sauce.

Can I use Del Taco secret sauce on chicken?

Yes. It works particularly well with grilled chicken tacos, chicken burritos, sandwiches, and bowls.

Is Del Taco secret sauce spicy?

The copycat recipe above is mild. If you want more heat, add a small amount of cayenne or hot sauce rather than changing the entire recipe.

Final Thoughts

A good Del Taco secret sauce recipe does not need a long ingredient list.

The key is getting the balance right: creamy mayonnaise, a little buttermilk, enough acidity to brighten it, and just enough seasoning to make the sauce savory without turning it into a spicy dressing.

Let it chill before deciding whether it needs more lime, salt, or seasoning.

Once you have the balance you like, keep it in the refrigerator and use it whenever you make tacos, chicken, burritos, fries, or quesadillas.

This Del Taco white sauce recipe is meant to be a practical homemade copycat, not a claim that it reproduces Del Taco’s proprietary formula exactly.

But if what you are after is that creamy, tangy sauce that makes a simple chicken taco taste much more interesting, this is a very easy place to start.