When you order a pizza from Papa John’s, it often comes with a side of its signature “Special Garlic Dipping Sauce,” leading many fans to scour the internet for recipes.
Recently, TikToker Sammy K (@skzzolno) sparked interest with a viral video claiming to have found a close duplicate of this beloved sauce.
“My mom said that Hidden Valley came out with a sauce that tastes exactly like Papa John’s,” she reveals, showcasing a bottle of Hidden Valley’s Garlic Ranch.
“I’m going to try it for the first time and see if it really tastes like Papa John’s garlic sauce because if that’s true, and you can get a whole bottle, that is life-changing. We all need to know about it!”
Sammy pours a generous amount onto a slice of pizza and takes a bite. She pauses.
“Wow, that’s crazy. Oh, my god, it’s so good. It’s really buttery,” she exclaims, before noting, “It doesn’t taste exactly like it, but it’s close enough that it’s worth it for being so big.”
“Yeah, that’s it, you guys. Hidden Valley. The HV with the PJ. Really good!” she adds.
The video has 488,000 views, sparking lively discussions with over hundreds of comments.
@skzzolno WHO HAS BEEN GATEKEEPING THIS ???? #papajohns @Papa Johns @Hidden Valley Ranch ♬ original sound – sammy k
Some viewers expressed skepticism, pointing out that the original sauce doesn’t taste like ranch. “Hard to imagine it tastes the same because the Papa John’s sauce doesn’t taste like ranch,” one commenter noted.
Another questioned, “And not too much like ranch?? I’m not a huge ranch girly but I LOVEE garlic sauce from Papa John’s?”
Sammy K reassured them, responding, “More garlic than ranch, but definitely more ranchy than the Papa John’s one.”
Many who tried the Hidden Valley Garlic Ranch supported her claims, with comments like, “It’s actually really good! Great on pizza, burgers, and loaded fries.” Another shared, “It’s garlic sauce with no ranch flavor at all, which I LOVE.”
Other dupes
Viewers also shared alternative options for garlic sauce.
“Walmart has a sauce called Chef Antonio’s extraordinary garlic dipping sauce and I swear it’s the same as Papa John’s,” someone suggested.
Another shared, “If your local Papa John’s is cool they can sell you a gallon of it. Try asking the manager next time.”
Even Papa John’s TikTok account chimed in, commenting, “Dupes can never compare to the OG.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Sammy K, Papa John, and Hidden Valley via email for comment.
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