Copycat Papa John's Garlic Sauce Recipe

It's entirely possible that Papa John's Pizza rose to fame in large part due to the brand's buttery, garlicky dipping sauce. This simple sauce is the type of indulgent extra side that makes people actually want to eat their pizza crusts (not everyone does, you know), rather than throwing them away. So whether you're the type to douse your entire slice of pizza in Papa John's garlic sauce, or you prefer to save the sauce for dipping your crusts, chances are you can't make it through a box of pizza without breaking open the provided containers. 

But guess what? You don't have to order a whole pizza when you want some of that sauce. This Papa John's garlic sauce copycat recipe developed by registered dietitian Kristen Carli is quick and easy to make at home, can be doubled or tripled in size if you're prepping for a crowd (everyone needs their own garlic sauce, after all), and frankly, is downright delicious. 

The ingredients you need for this Papa John's garlic sauce copycat recipe are probably items you already have on hand — unsalted butter, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Seriously, you don't need anything else. Carli says she prefers using unsalted butter to the salted version in everything she cooks, as this enables her to control the salt content (both the flavor and the sodium) in her meals. That said, if you don't have unsalted butter on hand, salted will do just fine. 

Also, if you prefer to use fresh garlic and onion (assuming you've minced them well), Carli says that you can, but you're really just making life harder on yourself. The powdered versions easily blend into the sauce, while minced garlic and onion will leave chunks in the finished version. You can always remove the chunks, but ultimately, the flavor won't be that different, and the whole recipe will take longer to make. 

Once your ingredients for this Papa John's garlic sauce copycat recipe are ready to go, simply place the butter in a small saucepan and heat to medium heat, allowing the butter to melt completely. It's a good idea to stir the butter as it melts to prevent it from getting too hot. Butter has a low smoke point, and it can burn if you're not careful. When in doubt, turn the heat level down to prevent this from happening.

When the butter is melted, pour it into a small serving bowl and add the salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the butter and whisk. You want the seasonings to combine completely with the butter to give the sauce that perfect, Papa John's flavor with a nice, smooth texture. Serve the sauce while it's still warm for the best possible flavor.

And keep in mind, just because this sauce is made for pizza doesn't mean you can't use it in different ways. Carli suggests using it over pasta with Parmesan cheese, as a bread dip, or brushed on toast before making a grilled cheese sandwich (or any panini, really). You can even amp up the heat by adding a dash of red chili flakes to the sauce.