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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Delicious 😋 but it came out a little bit to much mayo, so I added more lemon juice, and it was perfect 😍
So good. I used dried dill and a little of minced onion. better than store bought. Fantastic.
Magnifique! Your recipe is right on the spot! I absolutely love it and it is now a staple in my household!😀
Thank you so much!
Great recipe. I made it exact, but a smaller scale. Then tonight I tried with half greek yogurt, half mayo and dried onion bits with all the rest of the ingredients. So far, tastes the same! I’m letting it meld (and to let the dried onions hydrate) in the fridge before our fish & chips dinner tonight. Thank you for your time in posting this recipe.
Delicious dip😋 used dried dill as I didn’t have fresh and used pickled onions (for that extra zing!). So much better than store bought
How can one cup of mayo and one cup of pickles, plus almost 4 tbsp of others become 1 1/2 cup total?
Hi Alexi! It happens when everything is mixed together, the air pockets disappear and the mixture compacts leading to a smaller final volume.
very good i added a little ranch seasoning from traders joes
I’m not a fan of tartar sauce, but loved this recipe. It paired perfectly with our air fryer fish filets.
Delicious!! We love it and thank you for sharing.
Love this recipe! Very yummy! Thank you very much!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
This is a wonderful tartar sauce. It is not too sweet or lemony and the pickles add a nice crunch. It is especially delicious after melding for a while.
How much is one serving of your tarts sauce?
Tablespoon??? Teaspoons?
My husband has to keep track
Thank you! The recipe sounds great as all of your recipes are!
Hello JoAnn! The whole recipe’s serving size is 8 servings or 1 1/2 cups total. You can divide the recipe to get the most accurate per serving size.
Can I use dried dill? If so, how much would you recommend? The fresh dill went bad. Ugh. Thanks in advance!
Hi Marisa! We really prefer fresh/frozen because the flavor is so much better (and stronger). Dry dill tends to loose some of its flavor in the drying process. A general rule is to use a 3:1 ratio (3 parts fresh to 1 part dry) 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.
Delicious! My first on point homemade tater sauce.
So which do you prefer, dill or parsley?
Depends on what I have on hand but either is really fine and delicious!
I have made this tartar sauce countless times exactly as given and it is the most amazing tartar sauce! Everyone is serve it to with fish and chips raves about it! If you want a fantastic recipe, this one is the end all be all! Nova Scotian born and raised!
Question: What brand baby dill pickles do you recommend? There are many to choose from with different tastes. Thank you.
Hi Lydia! I don’t have specific brand to recommend. I have used a few. I prefer baby dills.
I love tartar sauce. I am going to try and make this. I will use it with everything I can. Thank you for this.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tamerat!
I must say, this is the same recipe I have been using for over 50 years! I found this recipe the first time in a Recipe Copycat book from the 70’s for McDonald’s tartar sauce.
For the last five years I have been adding capers to this recipe which added a nice little addition.
I Love the idea of adding capers. Sounds yummy!
I must say! Nadine! Rude! I am very excited to try this recipe tonight that Natasha has so wonderfully provided! I appreciate you!
Hi Natasha, never mind fish. I have used this tartar sauce recipe on tuna, salmon, chicken, egg salad, ham and cheese and a BLT sandwich. I cannot be without it. Thank you for this recipe.
Agreed! It’s delicious on so many other things.
Just what I needed for the Gorton’s fish filets I was saving for a night when I’m too lazy to cook. Store-bought tartar sauce costs too much for such a tiny bottle. There’s a dozen mustards, mayos, and ketchups, but only two different tartar sauces at my local HEB for some reason.