Homemade Tartar Sauce
When the store-bought tartar sauce just won’t cut it, try making it homemade! It is so simple and the flavor is head and shoulders above anything you can purchase in the grocery store.
A QUICK, EASY TO MAKE CONDIMENT
I am serious when I tell you that this tartar sauce is ridiculously good. I think it would be good for so many other uses than just as a condiment. There really is nothing like making it yourself and it tastes so good. Even if you are just heating up some frozen fish patties of some fish sticks, why not make it a little extra special with a bit of homemade dipping sauce? Plus, it is so easy to adjust to suit your tastes!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I know a few folks will ask because it looks good, right? Y’all, these are just Gorton’s Fish Filets (not a paid link and not affiliated.) You don’t have to get fancy just because you’re making homemade tartar sauce.
Sure! I like a thicker sauce, but if you want a thinner sauce, no problem. Simply add about a Tablespoon or more of the juice from the pickle relish or a bit of lemon juice or even milk to thin it out to your desired thickness.
All the fried seafood of course! If you are in the mood, try this with some Fried Catfish – yum! This dressing would be the perfect addition to a shrimp or pasta salad, taking it to the next level of deliciousness. It is also ideal as a dip or substitute for plain mayo on sandwiches.
Enhance the flavor by adding more optional herbs like parsley, tarragon, or chives. For a hint of sweetness, mix in a teaspoon of granulated sugar. The best part about making it homemade is you can add whatever you want!
No one better laugh at this question. It is a genuine question that I have received from folks so never be embarrassed to ask me a question even if you think it is silly.
Cream of tartar does not have anything to do with tartar sauce. Tartar sauce is a condiment usually made from mayonnaise, pickles, and lemon juice (as you see here.) Cream of tartar is a white powder and is an acid commonly used as a leavening agent in baking. It is also sometimes added to recipes for egg whites to help them become more stable and create a fluffier meringue.
Keep this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I don’t suggest trying to freeze it.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- mayonnaise– make sure to use real mayo, not MiracleWhip (unless you absolutely love Miracle Whip.)
- sweet pickle relish – we like it with the sweet relish but you can certainly make it with dill relish.
- finely chopped fresh dill– I think fresh is best, but if you want to use dried, start with 1/4 teaspoon dried dill and add more to taste.
- dried minced onion – I tried this with fresh onion and we just didn’t love it. It required cooking the onions down so they were soft enough and it didn’t taste so good that I would do that again. It was just so much easier with the dried minced onion.
- lemon juice– fresh squeezed is best. I am just not a fan of the bottled stuff, I think it throws all the flavors off.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TARTAR SAUCE
Whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, dill, minced onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to mingle and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Homemade Ketchup
- Comeback Sauce
- Alabama White Sauce
- Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Homemade Barbecue Sauce
- Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce
- Homemade Virginia White Sauce
- Homemade Chimichurri
- Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Homemade Honey Mustard
- Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing (no anchovies)
- Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
- Cream of Chicken Soup
Homemade Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, dill, minced onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to mingle and serve. Don't skip this step, it really does help the flavor.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- If you like it a little thinner, add a splash of the juice from the pickle relish or a bit more lemon juice or even a bit of milk.
- Add more herbs if desired such as parsley, tarragon, or chives.
- If you like it a touch more on the sweet side, add 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- Perfect as a dipping sauce or on sandwiches in place of plain mayonnaise.
- Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, I do not suggest freezing.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Brandie, I love your blog and it is often the first place I check when I’m looking for a recipe. I think onion is a necessary ingredient for tartar sauce and that the store-bought kind is just trying to imitate real tartar sauce and not doing a very good job. If a cook doesn’t have the dry minced onion on hand, try using grated fresh onion. While the diced onion can be a bit offensive because of the size, grating the onion seems to make it just right.
I’d add a splash of hot sauce, like Frank’s.
I like to add about a tsp of rather mild horseradish. more for a little added flavor than for any heat or tang. otherwise, our recipes are very similar.
Jim
Better than store bought. Thx.
I LOVE this recipe! It is better then anything store bought! Quick tip: if you don’t have any lemon juice on hand, you can use a splash or two of pickle juice instead. It will yield similar results.
I’ve made tartar sauce very similar to this for years and it is so good!