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
The only thing I changed was the onion – I used about 1/2 tsp granulated onion – and it was wonderful. My husband bought tartar sauce, at the store, that tasted so gross I threw it out. This time, I decided to try fresh and your recipe will be my go-to, forever more! It is fabulous! (side note: I used to make tartar sauce with sweet pickle relish – big NoNo from now on :))
I made this and it was absolutely delicious!!!! I will not be buying it anymore. How long does this last in the fridge?
Hi Toni! I’m so glad you loved it. I have a note in the blog post above. This recipe stays fresh in the fridge for a few days.
I tried your Tartar Sauce recipe. We only had two fish fillets, so I cut the recipe in half. Will keep the recipe to enjoy whenever we have fish. It was really good! Best I’ve ever had! ( I enjoy trying your recipes from your cook book). Thanks for sharing your recipes!
This is the best tarter sauce. I stopped buying tarter sauce in the store because it always got thrown away because of how bad I thought they tasted. I get so many compliments when everyone tries it. Thank you so much for sharing.
If you want sweet use sweet pickles. Great taste with capers, but sugar ruined it for me
Hi, yes the sugar can be left out if you prefer but definitely do not combine sweet pickles with sugar. You should taste more tangy than sweet here.
For anyone hesitant to try this because you don’t have real mayonnaise….I just made it for the salmon fillets for dinner, using inexpensive generic whipped salad dressing, and it is delicious! Used everything else as directed, and dried dill, no onions. Like everyone else is saying…no more store bought tartar sauce for us!
Awesome! Happy to know that you loved it!
I’m excited to try this recipe. I love tartar sauce! Sometimes I think that is the only reason I eat fish is so I can have tartar sauce.
Although I do have a question. Why such a short life span? Mayo, pickles and lemon juice all last for weeks in the fridge, if omitting the onions, why wouldn’t this last as long as its individual ingredients?
Hi Honey. In my research, this was the information I found for safely storing homemade tartar sauce.
Absolutely awesome. Will NEVER use CANNED SALMON AGAIN. The freshness of the fresh salmon makes all the difference in the world and using dill in the tartar sauce was special.
This is the first time I made fresh tartar sauce and it was excellent!! Wouldn’t change a thing.
Just made it with what I had in the kitchen which was all the ingredients just not fresh parsley and dice onions and it turned out wonderful. Used onion powder and a little of garlic powder.
Thanks for sharing that with us. Good to know that the substitions that you used worked well!
Can I substitute fresh dill or parsley with dried? If I can, how much should I use? Thank you!
Hi Dawn, we prefer fresh for best flavor but dry will work too. A general rule of thumb for the dried-to-fresh herb ratio: Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in the recipe but I would definitely add it to taste. And allow the sauce some time to sit to develop its flavor if you are using dry dill.
Question for Natasha – did you use a white onion or yellow? Looking forward to making this!
Hi Megan, I used yellow onion.
It was delicious! I will use this every time instead of store bought – thanks
Glad to hear that, Barbara!
I love this recipe, extremely tasty. thanks for sharing. 5 stars all the way.
I made it with the salmon cakes which turned out delicious.
Thanks so much for the 5 stars and great feedback!
I love this recipe, extremely tasty. thanks for sharing. 5 stars all the way.
This was soooo delicious I was tempted to just eat it with a spoon! So easy to make. I’ll never buy tartar sauce again. Next time I make tuna salad I’m going to add this. I think it will be fantastic!! Thank you Natasha. I am never disappointed with your recipes.
You’re so welcome, Dawn! I’m so happy you’re enjoying this recipe and all the recipes you’ve tried. Thank you for your wonderful review.
How long can this be kept when refrigerated? Thank you.
Hi Sonja! I have a note in the blog post above. This recipe stays fresh in the fridge for a few days.
5 stars all the way! I love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
This recipe is delicious enough to eat with a spoon! I used Dave’s spicy sweet pickles, dill pickles, and pickled shallots plus about a tsp of each of the brines from the respective jars. I chopped the pickles, shallots and onions in a mini food processor and added dried dill and parsley, 1/2 tsp sugar, lemon juice and mayo. After tasting it, it went in the fridge where it will sit until it gets served with scallops tonight. Never again will I buy processed tartar sauce. Thank you for a great recipe!
Thank you for trying my recipe, Debbie! I’m glad it was enjoyed.
Well Natasha I would just like to say that folks should use your recipe as a guide line mix and add to your own taste. I use sweet and dill pickles plus some juice from both with mayo and dried dill and homemade celery salt and a bunch of chopped onion. You totally have the base recipe down that is so much better then anything the stores offer I just wish folks would start with your recipe and modify to there own taste instead of complaining. Step out of your bubble folks and experiment for your own taste.ty Natasha for posting the recipe we have both almost neen making the same for years
Hi Bob! Thank you so much.