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
Filed Under
You’re right! Way better than anything in a jar! Taste is fresher and loved it with the fish we made!
Easy to prepare with flavorful depth. Always reliable addition to my fish frying gatherings. Thanks. A Fish Eating Guy
I haven’t tried this yet, but would like to make it. How long does this last in the fridge? Love your recipes!
This recipe stays fresh in the fridge for a few days.
Why don’t you include the capers on the recipe? The original tartar sauce goes with capers
HI Claudia, there is plenty of tang from the pickles but you are welcome to add them if you prefer capers.
Natasha,
I always make my own tartar sauce. I use drained sweet relish instead of dill pickles. By doing that you don’t have to add any sugar. I don’t use onions or any fresh herbs, but I do use capers and lemon juice. There is no recipe, just eyeball the ingredients and mix. Start with smaller amounts of the relish and lemon juice. When mixing, tase the mix and add more until it suits your taste. Capers are added as suits your taste as well. That’s it and this concoction turns out perfect every time. I always get asked where I purchased my tartar sauce and when I tell the askers they are astonished at how good and how easy it is to make.
Love this recipe but next time I will reduce the sugar by half as it was a little sweet. This is now my definate go-to recipe for tartar sauce.
Amazing flavor, lots of yummy crunchy bits and easier than running to the store for preservatives. The best
Soooooo good!! I love the onion in mine. I also ad 1/4 tsp of granulated garlic!
Excellent taste and texture. I added a dash of worchester sauce to mine.
Hi Dennis! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Looking to make this condiment tonight to go with my salmon cakes. It inficates ‘onion optional’; has everyone who made this and commented on how delicious t is added the onions to theirs?
Hi Janice. We always add the onions because it gives it a great flavor but I will leave this comment here for others to share their experience.
I did a small shallot and it was delicious. Definitely think it needs some sort of onion. Really helps the flavor.
😋 finally a great tarter sauce ! I used relish , did not have dill pickles ! I got compliments on how good it was . Next time I’ll try the pickles
Sounds good, great to hear that it was a hit!
Thanks for the recipe! First time making tartar sauce though I make everything from cream of mushroom soup to meatloaf seasoning now so I couldn’t wait to try it! Now I did not have fresh dill or parsley, and I only had sweet pickles, so I added some finely diced English cucumber! I recently discovered how amazing they were in a turkey salad! This is fantastic! Can’t wait for my skillet fried blackened grouper and crab cakes tonight! Thanks again to Natasha and her kitchen, and her cameras, and most of all thank you for your yummy content!
Hi Jay! You’re very welcome. I’m so glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Just love video s ,and also the amount of times meaning for instance how long towhip something all great recipe
Fantastic recipe! Quick and easy 😌 I can not stop sampling)
The only thing I added pickled garlic (finely chopped) just because it was in a jar with pickles. So good! SO GOOD 👍
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Regina! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic! I keep sampling the sauce 😎 The only thing I added pickled garlic just because it was in a jar with pickles . Thanks!
You’re welcome, Regina!
This is the best tarter sauce recipe I’ve ever made, my family loves it. I’ve even experimented with different additions like Cajun seasoning, Frank’s red hot, horseradish, etc. It takes fried fish to the next level!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ronnie!
I don’t really like regular tartar ssauce but I decided to give a “real” recipe a try. I’m so glad I did! I’m good at eyeballing a recipe down to the single serving I need, and it was the best tartar sauce I’ve ever had. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that, Anita!
Excellent! Thank you for sharing! I have been looking for THEEEEE PERFECT tarter sauce and this is it!!! Absolutely delicious! I followed recipe to a T and will not change a thing when I make it again!
I’m so glad you found that perfect tartar sauce! Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
This sauce is amazing!!!! It has great tartar flavor. Love it!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Tatsi!
This recipe was seriously fast, easy and absolutely delicious! My family raved. I did add a little bit of cayenne pepper to add some spice since I was making fish tacos. But, honestly, this recipe was yummy both with spice and without. This is a keeper!
Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Sandra. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!