Why Papa John's Beloved Garlic Sauce Isn't Butter At All

When deciding on where to order pizza on pizza night, Papa John's is a worthy contender. While the restaurant has had its fair share of shady controversies, Papa John's has at least one thing going for them: its iconic garlic sauce. Fans love to smother their slices in buttery garlic dipping sauce that seems to pair well with every type of pizza, whether you prefer a slice of pepperoni, fiery buffalo chicken, or even the controversial pineapple-covered Hawaiian pizza. The sauce has become so beloved that Papa John's includes one with every pizza (unless you specify that you want a different sauce, of course). Papa John's pizza boxes even have a sauce holder built-in on the corners for easy transport to keep your garlic sauce safe until you can crack it open and enjoy.

While many would assume that the creamy sauce is butter-based, it is actually closer to a margarine. Based on the ingredients listed on Papa John's website, you can see that the sauce base contains soybean oil rather than butter or dairy products. Good news for our plant-based and vegan friends: Papa John's popular garlic sauce is vegan! While other dips contain milk and egg products like ranch, blue cheese, and honey mustard, the buttery garlic sauce contains no actual dairy components. Papa John's also released a spicy garlic sauce made from the same soybean oil base, with an added spicy kick of green jalapeno pepper and red bell pepper.

Die-hard fans have no problem expressing their passion for the dipping sauce they love the most. One user on Reddit shared a photo of 23 garlic sauces they asked to accompany their pizza order. According to the caption, "They had to ask a manager if this was ok." Clearly, Papa John's understands the demand for this signature sauce. Back in 2017, the company played a prank on garlic sauce lovers, posting to Twitter that it would offer gallon jugs full of the sauce for $10. Clearly, garlic sauce is no laughing matter, because the next year, gallon jugs were actually offered by Papa John's after demand became so high –- although they did raise the price to $20.

One fan was so excited to get their hands on a gallon of Papa John's garlic sauce that they decided to share it, party style. In a viral TikTok, user @sweetportfolio shows off her garlic sauce fountain, sitting rather closely to a chocolate fountain. We sure hope guests know which one is sweet and which one is savory. Another sauce lover on TikTok took their desire for garlic sauce to the next level, placing the cup in a Keurig and making what can only be described as a hot garlic espresso? While we wouldn't recommend making a habit of enjoying garlic sauce in a mug, clearly the love for this iconic sauce runs deep. You can even try to make Papa John's garlic sauce at home, no Keurig required.