Try this homemade tartar sauce, and you’ll never want store-bought again. This has amazing flavor and texture with every bite. It’s perfect as a dip for fish sticks, crab cakes, or a spread for seafood sandwiches.
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Homemade Tartar Sauce
I was frustrated with store-bought tartar sauce; one disappointing can after another. Solution: homemade tarter sauce. Making your own is really easy. It’s fresh and amazing for these salmon cakes fish sticks or breaded fish fillets.
My Aunt Anna taught me how to make this Tartar Sauce recipe – she learned it in culinary school, and this is the recipe they made in their restaurant. I’ve probably made this a hundred times, and my fishstick-loving teenage son makes it regularly. It’s our go-to because it’s so easy to make, has simple ingredients and keeps really well in the fridge.
See those fish sticks in the photo – yeah, those are from Costco. Maybe one day, I’ll make my own fish sticks, but for now, these are really good (the Trident brand). Sometimes, I find that I eat more tartar sauce than fish sticks (sounds gross, but this sauce is THAT GOOD!). This recipe stays fresh in the fridge for a few days.
Tartar Sauce Video
Watch my easy video tutorial, and you’ll have this recipe memorized in no time!
Ingredients for Tartar Sauce
- Real Mayonnaise – you can use your favorite storebought mayo or homemade mayonnaise
- Dill pickles – I prefer baby dills for extra crunch since they have more surface area.
- Dill (or) Parsley – you can use fresh or frozen – it adds freshness.
- 1 tsp lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best
- 1 tsp sugar – this balances the sauce, but you can add it to taste
- Pepper – freshly cracked smells and tastes the freshest
- Onion – it’s 2 Tbsp of chopped onion, and it’s optional (I usually skip it when I’m feeling lazy to chop an onion).
How to Make Tartar Sauce
This is really complicated, so pay attention. Are you ready?…
1. Combine everything in a mixing bowl and give it a good stir. Done!
Serve Tartar Sauce With
There are so many great uses for Tartar Sauce, from a dipping sauce to sandwiches. Outside of fish sticks, we love it with:
- Crab Cakes
- Shrimp Cakes
- Fish Tacos
- Salmon Patties
- Onion Rings
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Grilled Salmon Sandwich
Storing Tartar Sauce
Homemade Tartar Sauce keeps really well in the refrigerator. Transfer to an airtight container or jar and refrigerate. It is best enjoyed within 1 week but can last up to 2 weeks.
Tartar Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise*
- 1 cup dill pickles, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp dill, fresh or frozen, OR 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Add more lemon juice or pickles if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
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This is a great tartar sauce. The right amount of zing.
That’s so great!
You weren’t kidding. This tartar recipe is easy to make and delicious! For a bit more zing, we used hot pickles (Suckerpunch
three pepper speers from Aldi) and that worked out great.
You weren’t kidding. This tartar recipe is easy to make and delicious! For a bit more zing, we used hot pickles (Suckerpunch
three pepper speers from Aldi) and that worked out great.
Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m sure that was a great addition to the recipe.
Just made your Tartar Sauce Recipe and I think it is delicious. Now that I have made this, I will not spend my money at the store for this. Thank you.
That’s great, Gail! I’m so glad you found a homemade version that you’ll love to make.
Hi Natasha! Do you use dill pickles that have added garlic to the brine, or dill pickles solely in dill? I used pickles that I have made, that have garlic among other spices, and the tartar sauce tasted great. You are right about the quality of mayonnaise being important too. In a pinch, I have used mayo and drained sweet relish ( shame on me!), but NO comparison to your great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mary! You’re very welcome. You can use either one. Most include garlic, but it depends on the style and brand.
I add a bit of Miracle Whip along with the mayo, then dill relish, a bit of sweet relish, and some finely chopped carrot.
I’m glad that worked, Randy!
It tasted a bit too much like mayo when I made as directed, so I added a little more lemon juice and some sweet relish, and that was more to my taste. Excellent base though.
I use this recipe to make my own. The only variation I do is I add some Old Bay seasoning in place of the salt, since it has it in it, and this gives it an extra punch I like.
Use dried minced onion. Easy & they absorb some of the extra liquid.
Only had Famous Dave’s Spicy Dill Chips on hand and it was fabulous! They are too spicy on their own for my kids but in the tartar sauce it added just enough kick that everyone loved.
This was a good base but very bland. Made as directed but after a taste had to add. Added Granulated onion (based on reviews that said not to add fresh onions) and granulated garlic, smoked paprika, chives, butcher pepper and sea salt. Now it’s very good. Usually Natashas’s recipes are spot on. This one needed help.
HI Carol, This is one of my most popular recipes and a bland result is unusual. Did you add the pickles or change any of the ingredients that are called for? Or did you maybe use a mayo substitute – that can definitely change the flavor.
It is really delicious, why buy whdn you can make you own? It’s fresher than store bought!!
Best tartar sauce ever! I will never buy store-bought again!
This was simple & delicious! SO much better than any that I’ve bought in a store! I didn’t have fresh dill or parsley so just sprinkled in some dried parsley. I used Duke’s real mayo.
This is a great sauce! This is not a ‘but’, it’s more of a ‘however’…so, However, if you want a tarter sauce to keep a really long time in the fridge, don’t put onions in it. The onions is what makes things sour or rancid as they go bad the quickest. It’s just my little pro-tip. I learned how to make a great salsa from a friend from Mexico and I could never quite tell what was in it and he told me, roasted tomatoes, garlic in a screaming hot cast iron skillet, put it in a blender with a good pinch of salt, small pinch of cilantro and a glob of canola oil and it will last for weeks. The oil and cilantro are optional. I have made this and people always ask what all is in it and I they don’t beleive me that there’s no onions. I tell them that is what makes salsa go all bubbly and sour. So, same for tarter sauce. Just something I’ve pick up along my way through life. Totally amature cook here who loves Natasha’s Kitchen among a few others. Thank you Natasha!
Thank you so much for sharing that tip with all of us, David!
so do you think onion powder would be ok?
Yes, onion powder is the way to go to have it last without the onions getting mushy.
Great recipe!
I sure wish I read this before I put onions in my tarter sauce , but since I didn’t how long should I keep it stored?