7 Best Sauce Ideas for Steak Sandwich

As a sucker for steak sandwiches, I love them with any sauce or even without one, but I would be lying if I said that the right sauce doesn’t make a difference. It makes all the difference!

A good steak sandwich sauce does not only add flavor, but it also brings out the existing flavors of the steak and the rest of the sandwich ingredients. That’s why adding the right sauce to your steak sandwich is crucial to your steak sandwich experience. So, what are the best sauces for steak sandwiches? 

Chimichurri Sauce

Made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil, chimichurri sauce is bold and fresh-tasting. It goes perfectly with steak giving your sandwich a pleasant refreshing note.

Chimichurri sauce is a bright, tangy sauce with a little bit of heat, turning your steak sandwich from a regular steak sandwich into an edgy and extraordinary meal. The finely chopped herbs give the sauce somewhat of a chunky texture, while the garlic adds a wave of savory flavor and a pungent aroma. 

The vinegar and lemon juice offer their zesty and mouth-watering tang, while the olive oil smooths everything out.

How you add chimichurri sauce to your steak sandwich is, of course, up to you, but I like to add it on toasted bread. Ciabatta is my go-to bread for this sandwich, but you can use your favorite kind. I add a generous layer of chimichurri sauce on both sides of the bread, and I allow it about five minutes to soak. 

It’s smooth sailing from there on; just place your meat and the other sandwich ingredients between the buns and press for everything to fall into place. Take a big bite and enjoy!

Horseradish Cream Sauce

I heard about this one from a friend, and frankly, I was skeptical because horseradish didn’t sound like something that would go with a steak sandwich. Let me tell you, I would have made a huge mistake if I had let my skepticism win. 

Horseradish cream sauce is a simple creamy and tangy sauce, and to make it, you’ll need sour cream or crème fraiche, horseradish, mustard, and lemon juice. Mix the ingredients together and grate the horseradish in the end. Mix again and put the sauce in the fridge for about fifteen minutes to half an hour. 

It has a smooth and velvety texture and is excellent for spreading. I find it most satisfying how it stays smooth when you smear it onto a piece of bread. 

This sauce gives your steak sandwich a refreshing zingy dimension and pairs deliciously with the other ingredients. It brings out the juiciness and meatiness of the steak while making the fresh sandwich ingredients even fresher. 

I love it on a nice thick piece of ciabatta or a French baguette, topped with thin steak slices with a few lettuce leaves, fresh tomatoes, and chopped scallions. 

Barbecue Sauce

This idea list wouldn’t be complete without this old classic, which is a classic for a reason. BBQ sauce adds depth, complexity, and smokiness to your steak sandwich, bringing out the rustic and wholesome side of the meal. 

To make it, you’ll need ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices, but you can also find it at any store. It adds a sweet and smoky flavor to your steak sandwich.

BBQ sauce combines tangy, sweet, and slightly smoky notes with just a tad of spice that adds warmth and accentuates the rest of the flavors. It is smooth and thick and sticks to the steak, so you can feel it in every bite.

You can either smear the BBQ sauce on the bread or drizzle it on the steak, but I prefer both because I love that much. 

What I love most about BBQ sauce is its versatility and its good pairing with the rest of the sandwich ingredients. You can combine it with caramelized onions to add an extra layer of flavor to the sandwich.

Sliced pickles are a must, as their tangy crunch contrasts with the BBQ sauce’s sweetness. Coleslaw is a great idea to add freshness to your BBQ sauce steak sandwich as well as melted cheese for some cheesy creaminess. 

Garlic Aioli

Although garlic can sometimes be a little too much for meaty and caloric dishes such as steak sandwiches, a garlic-flavored sauce is much more balanced. The garlic aioli is a delicate and flavorful sauce made with garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil that will add an extra layer of flavor to your sandwich without overwhelming it. 

It will give you that expressive garlicky flavor we all know and love, but in a gentle way without making it all about the garlic. You can smear it on the bread or drizzle it on the meat, or even both. Add as much as you want and enjoy the magic this sauce creates.

The best thing about garlic aioli is that it opens an infinite number of possibilities to combine it with other ingredients. I love pairing it with lettuce or arugula for a refreshing crunch and maybe even some caramelized onions.

Cheese is always welcome, and so are pickles or fresh bell peppers and chopped cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I like adding a fried egg and topping it with some more garlic aioli sauce. Believe me; you’ll never want to go back to simple ketchup and mayo. 

Mushroom Sauce 

Mushroom sauce is one of the most versatile sauces in general and an excellent addition to a steak sandwich. Mushroom sauce is one of the best sauces to pair with meat, so don’t think twice before adding it to your menu with meaty meals. 

It is a rich and savory sauce made with mushrooms, butter, garlic, and cream. Its flavor is luxurious, to say the least, and the texture is smooth and silky. 

In a steak sandwich, this sauce adds flavor and meatiness, so prepare for a meat bomb. You will instantly fall in love with its subtle but noticeable earthiness combined with the tenderness of the butter. 

This combo pairs exceptionally well with pickles, coleslaw, or fresh bell peppers but not as much with lettuce, arugula, and tomatoes. Needless to say, cheese is a godsend in this combination, so don’t be afraid to add a generous amount and let it melt between the buns. 

I like spreading this sauce on a lightly toasted bread slice and then topping the steak with it for extra flavor and juiciness. 

Honey Mustard Sauce

The honey mustard sauce is ideal for those moments when you don’t feel creative and are more on the lazy side, but your peckishness just won’t let you rest. You’ll need mustard, honey, and some olive oil to make it. 

The honey part makes this sauce thick and sticky, so your steak won’t know what hit it once the honey sticks to it and just won’t let go. Each bite you have will have this delicious sauce in it, making your steak sauce experience even more delicious. 

It is, however, a little harder to smear it, again, because of the honey as it sticks more than it spreads, so I like to add a more generous layer because it is more spreadable that way. Sometimes you may notice expressive sweetness, which means you added too much honey, but worry not, because you can always add some more mustard — problem solved.

The honey mustard sauce pairs best with sour sandwich ingredients, such as coleslaw or pickles. You can also add caramelized onions or some garlic powder to make things more interesting. 

I prefer smearing the sauce on a lightly toasted bread slice because it spreads more easily that way. Also, I highly suggest that you dip the steak slices into the sauce before placing them in the bread; you’ll thank me later. 

Caramelized Onion Sauce

Since I mentioned caramelized onions a few times in this article, it is only fitting that we talk about caramelized onion sauce for your steak sandwich. This is a sweet and savory sauce made with caramelized onions, butter, and balsamic vinegar. It is delicious, complex, and adds depth and ruggedness to your steak sandwich. 

Still, be warned that you may feel a little heavy after having it because caramelized onions have a reputation for not sitting well with everyone. So, if you have a sensitive stomach, you may want to skip this one. 

On the other hand, if you don’t have any trouble digesting onions, you are in for a treat! The soft and creamy onions will add texture to your sandwich as well as an abundance of flavor. The natural sweetness of the sauce will bring out the steak’s natural taste and richness, creating balance and turning an ordinary sandwich into a decadent meal. 

Because of the onion pieces in the sauce, it is a little inconvenient to spread, so I like topping the steak slices with it instead of smearing them onto the bread. Still, if you like it better, otherwise, by all means, feel free to do so. 

Combine this sauce with lettuce and cheese. I find that sour ingredients go too well with it, but maybe that’s just me.