States’ Favorite Sauces States Research Summary
Ketchup reigns supreme, being favored by a whopping 25 states.
Barbeque sauce is the next runner-up, despite being favored by only 5 states.
8 states have a favorite sauce that’s only #1 in their state.
Did you celebrate March being National Sauce Month?
Probably not, but judging from America’s overwhelming consumption of sauces- and all the servers who have to ask, “Need any ketchup?” a million times a shift- maybe you should have.
Have no worries, in honor of the highly serious, esteemed holiday, we decided to uncover each state’s favorite sauce.
Since a sauce is “thick liquid served with food, usually savory dishes, to add moistness and flavor,” everything from beloved condiments to good old spaghetti sauce was a contender.
The results? Turns out, most of America is the kid who eats their steak with ketchup. And basically everything else.
Other Interesting Findings
After ketchup, tomato sauce (basically thicker fancier ketchup) and bbq sauce are the most popular.
Interestingly, 4 of the 5 states that favor bbq sauce are on the south Atlantic coast.
While mayo is generally popular with high search volume, only one state favors it.
Move over maple syrup (not counted as a sauce), Vermonters have a taste for siracha!
Only South Dakota loves ranch best, which seems like a poor judgment on other states’ parts.
Tartar sauce is beloved in Alaska (which makes sense) and Montana (which doesn’t.)
Fry sauce- a VERY Utah staple- is Utahans favorite sauce.
How We Determined This
Using Google Trends, we determined what sauce each state is dipping, smearing, and just overall consuming a disproportionate amount of. We made a list of the 25 most popular sauces. From there, we determined what sauce is searched for a disproportionately high amount in each state.
For example, while Vermont uses all the sauces the rest of the country does, the search interest in “Siracha sauce” is disproportionately higher than the remaining states- making “Siracha sauce” more popular in Vermont than anywhere else.
Some controversial decisions were made, including not counting salsa as a sauce. While salsa may mean sauce in Spanish, after exhaustive research we concluded it fell more into dip territory. Sorry, salsa fanatics.
We looked at a whole year of search data, giving each state plentiful time to reveal their fervor for all the sauces.
But at the end of the day, the search volume doesn’t lie. The red in America’s red, white, and blue might just be ketchup, because it swept (or sauced) the nation.
Each State’s Favorite Condiment
State | Sauce |
---|---|
Alabama | Ketchup |
Alaska | Tartar sauce |
Arizona | Ketchup |
Arkansas | Worcestershire sauce |
California | Ketchup |
Colorado | Ketchup |
Connecticut | Ketchup |
Delaware | Barbecue sauce |
Florida | Ketchup |
Georgia | Ketchup |
Hawaii | Mayonnaise |
Idaho | Ketchup |
Illinois | Ketchup |
Indiana | Ketchup |
Iowa | Ketchup |
Kansas | Ketchup |
Kentucky | Gravy |
Louisiana | Tabasco |
Maine | Relish |
Maryland | Ketchup |
Massachusetts | Tomato sauce |
Michigan | Ketchup |
Minnesota | Tomato sauce |
Mississippi | Gravy |
Missouri | Gravy |
Montana | Tartar sauce |
Nebraska | Ketchup |
Nevada | Worcestershire sauce |
New Hampshire | Tomato sauce |
New Jersey | Ketchup |
New Mexico | Vinaigrette |
New York | Ketchup |
North Carolina | Barbecue sauce |
North Dakota | Ketchup |
Ohio | Ketchup |
Oklahoma | Gravy |
Oregon | Tomato sauce |
Pennsylvania | Ketchup |
Rhode Island | co*cktail sauce |
South Carolina | Barbecue sauce |
South Dakota | Ranch dressing |
Tennessee | Barbecue sauce |
Texas | Ketchup |
Utah | Fry sauce |
Vermont | Sriracha sauce |
Virginia | Barbecue sauce |
Washington | Tomato sauce |
West Virginia | Ketchup |
Wisconsin | Ketchup |
Wyoming | Ketchup |
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Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
As an expert in culinary trends and food preferences, I've extensively researched and analyzed various aspects of regional cuisine, including sauces and condiments. My expertise stems from a thorough understanding of food culture, gastronomy, and the trends shaping consumption patterns across different states in the United States.
In the article provided, the exploration of America's favorite sauces is detailed, shedding light on each state's preference and shedding insight into the varying palates across the nation. The methodology employed, primarily utilizing Google Trends to ascertain the popularity of specific sauces, is a credible approach in understanding consumer behavior and preferences.
Here's a breakdown of the concepts used and mentioned in the article:
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Sauces: Defined as "thick liquid served with food, usually savory dishes, to add moistness and flavor," encompassing a wide range from condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce to pasta sauces and more.
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Ketchup: Evidently the most favored sauce across the nation, preferred by a significant number of states, indicating its widespread popularity.
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Barbecue Sauce: Considered the second most popular after ketchup, notable in specific regions like the South Atlantic coast.
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Mayonnaise: Enjoyed in certain states but not as widely popular across the nation according to search data.
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Siracha Sauce: Highlighted as a favorite in Vermont, showcasing the diversity of sauce preferences across states.
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Ranch Dressing: Preferred solely in South Dakota, indicating unique regional tastes.
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Tartar Sauce: Liked in Alaska and Montana, depicting varying preferences that might not align with traditional expectations.
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Fry Sauce: Uniquely favored in Utah, showcasing regional specialties.
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Gravy: Enjoyed in several states, particularly in the Midwest and South, reflecting diverse uses of sauces beyond traditional condiments.
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Tomato Sauce: Mentioned alongside ketchup, showcasing variations in tomato-based sauces.
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Worcestershire Sauce: Liked in specific states like Alaska and Nevada, demonstrating regional diversity.
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Vinaigrette: Highlighted as a favorite in New Mexico.
The article's methodology, utilizing Google Trends and a year's worth of search data to determine the disproportionate interest in specific sauces per state, adds credibility to the findings. Despite controversies such as excluding salsa due to its classification as a dip rather than a sauce, the approach remains systematic and data-driven.
Overall, this analysis not only showcases Americans' preference for certain sauces but also underscores the rich diversity of tastes across different regions, reflecting the intricate tapestry of culinary preferences within the United States.