Classic Tartar Sauce
This creamy tartar sauce is bright, tangy, and easy to stir together in about 10 minutes. Serve it with fish sticks, fried seafood, crab cakes, or roasted potatoes.
Total
10 min
Servings
Makes about 1 cup, enough for 4 to 6
Level
Easy
Tartar sauce is a simple cold sauce made with mayonnaise, pickles, lemon, and herbs. It is most often served with fried fish, but it is just as good with baked salmon, shrimp, sandwiches, and crisp vegetables.
Homemade tartar sauce tastes fresher than the bottled kind because you can control the tang, crunch, and seasoning. This version uses dill pickles for brightness, a little caper for briny flavor, and fresh lemon juice to keep it lively.
You do not need special equipment. A bowl, a knife, and a spoon are enough. Let the sauce rest for a few minutes if you can; the flavors get rounder as they sit.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
10 items · Makes about 1 cup, enough for 4 to 6
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles or cornichons
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped capers, rinsed if very salty
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pickle brine, optional, for extra tang
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chop the add-ins finely
Finely chop the pickles, capers, and herbs so the sauce is easy to spoon and dip. Small pieces give you crunch in every bite without making the sauce chunky.
2. Stir the creamy base
Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and pickle brine, if using, to a medium bowl. Stir until smooth and evenly mixed.
3. Fold in the flavor
Add the chopped pickles, capers, herbs, onion powder or shallot, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold means to stir gently so everything is mixed without mashing the ingredients.
4. Taste and adjust
Taste the sauce with a clean spoon. Add more lemon juice for brightness, more pickle brine for tang, or a small pinch of salt if it tastes flat.
5. Chill briefly
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes if you have time. This short rest helps the pickle, caper, and herb flavors blend into the mayonnaise.
6. Serve cold
Spoon the tartar sauce into a small bowl and serve cold with fried fish, baked fish, crab cakes, shrimp, fries, or roasted vegetables. Stir once before serving if any liquid has settled on top.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Tartar sauce is a good make-ahead condiment. Stir it together up to 2 days before serving and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours because it contains mayonnaise.
- Pickle swaps: Dill pickles give a classic tangy flavor. Sweet pickles or relish will make the sauce sweeter, which some people like with fried fish.
- Herb swaps: Fresh dill tastes bright and seafood-friendly. Parsley is milder. You can use 1 teaspoon dried dill if fresh herbs are not available.
- No capers: Leave them out or add a few extra chopped pickles. Capers add briny flavor, but the sauce will still work without them.
- Lighter version: Replace up to half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. The sauce will be tangier and a little less rich.
Cook's note
For the cleanest flavor, use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled lemon juice. Bottled juice can taste sharp or slightly bitter in a no-cook sauce like this.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I use relish instead of chopped pickles?
Yes. Use 2 tablespoons of dill relish or sweet relish. If the relish is very wet, drain off a little liquid first so the sauce does not become thin.
Why does my tartar sauce taste bland?
It probably needs more acid or salt. Add a small squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of pickle brine, or a tiny pinch of salt. Taste after each addition.
Can I make tartar sauce without mayonnaise?
Yes, but it will taste different. Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream can replace some or all of the mayonnaise. Yogurt makes a tangier, lighter sauce; sour cream makes it softer and less rich.
How long should tartar sauce sit before serving?
It is ready right away, but 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator helps the flavors blend. If you make it a day ahead, stir it before serving.
Can I freeze tartar sauce?
Freezing is not recommended. Mayonnaise-based sauces can separate and turn watery after thawing.
05Keep cooking
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