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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I follow You Since 00s Twenty And I enjoyed all your recipes, you are my hero
Hi Leny! I’m so glad you love my recipes, thank you!
you forgot the capers in the tartare sauce. It adds another layer to the flavours of the gherkins, onion and dill
Hi AJ, I saw others shared that they added capers and enjoyed it!
I used 6 sweet gherkins plus 1 tsp pickle juice instead of dill pickles and added 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar. Delicious is an understatement! Thank you!
Sounds good! Thanks for sharing, we’re glad that you enjoyed this!
Can I use dill relish instead of chopping up dill pickles? Not sure what brand dill pickles to buy? Cooking is beyond me so I need specifics, haha! I eat the polish dills but think they might be too much for tartar? Any thoughts?
Hi Cristin! Yes, you could use relish. Some of my readers have reported good results using relish.
I made the tartersauce with the onions, it is the best we ever had! Thanks 😊
I’m so glad you loved it!
You can also try “grating” the onions for a finer texture. I like to strain a bit of the juice after grating it. Still adds good flavor, but reduces the liquid so it won’t make it runny after it sits for a bit.
Thank you for the tip! I also just leave them out sometimes when I’m feeling to lazy to deal with onions and the tartar sauce is still delicious.
I love salmon Pattie’s they were r go to in college but I’ve never added the red Belle pepper will try this week Thank you for the recipe I agree home made tarter sauce is the best Try adding a T spoon of horseradish to it delicious
Hi Sally! I hope you love this recipe! 🙂
You beat me to post. The addition of horseradish takes this delicious tartar sauce over the top.
My tartar sauce is always so runny, what am I doing wrong???
Hi Lisa! If you are following the instructions and ingredients as listed you should not be having that issue. Did you make any substitutions? Or possibly use too much lemon juice or not drain your pickles?
I added 1 tablespoon on capers and half the sugar.. this was awesome! Thank you so much, I’m rapidly becoming a huge fan of all your recipes!!
That’s wonderful Abby! Thank you for sharing. I’m so glad you love my recipes.
Is dry dill ok to use in place of the fresh stuff.. look so forward to trying this out –
Hi Germaine! That should be fine, several of my readers made a comment of using dry instead of fresh dill. I hope you love the recipe.
absolutely love this recipe… made tilapia for dinner and forgot to buy tartar sauce and luckily i had all the ingredients for this recipe.
This tartar sauce is a must-have! I’m so glad you loved it, Monika!
It was nice to go through your post. Thanks for sharing the recipe here. Keep up the good work.
Hi! I’m going to try this as I love tartar sauce but can’t find a store bought that I like. How long does this keep for in the fridge?
Hi Heather! The tartar sauce keeps covered and refrigerated for 5 to 7 days. I hope you love the recipe!
Made this last minute as it was suggested with the salmon cakes recipe I was using and it was delicious!
So glad you loved it, Wendy! 🙂
This is 5 stars for a reason!! Easy, quick delicious, time saying, perfect!! if you have specialty pickels with garlic or a mix of bread/butter pickels and garlic pickels it will definitely kick it up a notch..it did for me and never used sugar because of the sweetness in the bnb pickels! To quote Matt Pitman ” I ain’t mad at it”!
Hi Tim! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you.
Outstanding ! Didn’t have dill (family doesn’t love dill anyway)used parsley and one clove garlic crushed ! I used gherkins (never had them before)omg so good. I always love your recipes. You are my “go to”. You have taught me a lot . Thank you.
Aww, thank you, Cathy! I’m so glad you love my recipes.
Hi Natasha! thanks for sharing your recipes. This is the best tasting tartar sauce we’ve ever had. Tastes fresh and tangy… goes real well with any fried fish… anything fried really… anything at all really! I can put this on my shoe and I’d eat it. thanks much!
You’re so welcome, Pam. We’re happy to that you enjoyed this sauce!
Just wondering if anyone made this tartar sauce with a combo of both chopped parsley and dill?
Hi Mary, we used dill for this recipe, but parsley is a great substitute. Since it’s a great substitute, I bet that combined; they will work well. I hope that is helpful!
This tastes amazing! I omitted the sugar in it, flavor is right on.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Veronica!
Easy to make, with everyday ingredients – no special trips to the store, I appreciate that! I’ve made this recipe several times (halving the ingredient amounts) and I like to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, as well as a tsp of good quality Dijon mustard, and a touch of Caesar dressing, reducing the mayonnaise by as much. Gives it a little kick! Mahalo Natasha and Aloha from Maui!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback. 🙂
Absolutely love this.! Grew up in the PNW and we had always had tartar sauce with our fries. I like to add Tabasco sauce for a bit of a kick.
Yum! I’m glad you loved it!