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Recipes » Sauces » Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe

Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe

Posted on February 25, 2020 By Chef Billy Parisi

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Learn how easy it is to make a delicious homemade tartar sauce recipe that goes excellent with any seafood dish.  Whether you put it on a Po Boy Sandwich or serve it up with Shrimp Boil, it’s super simple to prepare and always tasty.

jar of homemade tartar sauce with a spoon

This is actually one of the first things I ever learned to make way back in my restaurant days when I was barely a teenager.  It’s my go-to sauce for all things fish and is always a favorite sauce whenever it’s served up, and not-too-mention you can make it under 5 minutes.

What Is It

This is a very simple mayonnaise-based condiment that originated in France and is most often served with seafood.

What’s in It

Here are the simple tartar sauce ingredients which you may already have in your house.

  • Mayonnaise
  • Onions
  • Capers
  • Pickles
  • Parsley
  • Salt and Pepper

In addition to these few things, you can also add in dill, lemon juice, garlic or tobacco sauce to further enhance the flavor of it.

How to Make Tartar Sauce

Start by small dicing some small yellow onions.

small dicing onions on a cutting board

Finely chop some capers.

finely chopping capers

Small dice some dill pickles.

small dicing homemade dill pickles

Add the onions, capers, pickles, mayonnaise, parsley, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix.  Simple as that.

chopped tartar sauce ingredients in bowl

Is There a Substitute for It

There is no perfect substitute for it but there are some healthier options.  Simply replace the mayonnaise with any of these:

  • Low Fat Mayonnaise
  • Non-Fat Yogurt
  • Low Fat Sour Cream

It does alter the flavor of the overall sauce, but if I did it this way I’d just add in a bit more of everything else to help bring about those flavors.

What to Serve It With

There are tons of great dishes to serve up this tartar sauce with, and here are a few of my favorites:

  • Fish Fry Recipe
  • Easy Broiled Salmon
  • Salmon Cakes
  • Crab Cake Sandwich

Recipe Chef Notes + Tips

How To Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.  This does not freeze well so don’t attempt it.

In place of the yellow onions in the sauce, you can sub for red onions, shallots or sweet onions.

My suggestion is to keep this recipe as simple as possible because you want to use it to compliment the seafood, not mask it.

The brine from the capers and pickles provides plenty of acid to the sauce, so there is no need for lemon juice.

homemade tartar sauce with lemon

More Sauce Recipes

  • Beurre Blanc
  • Chimichurri Sauce
  • Mornay Sauce
  • Bechamel

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

jar of homemade tartar sauce with a spoon
Print Recipe

Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe

Learn how easy it is to make a delicious homemade tartar sauce recipe that goes excellent with any seafood dish.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: condiment, sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, english, French
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 97kcal
Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup small diced yellow onions
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped capers
  • 1/3 cup small-diced dill pickles
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Chef Notes:
  • How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. This does not freeze well so don’t attempt it.
  • In place of the yellow onions in the sauce you can sub for red onions, shallots or sweet onions.
  • My suggestion is to keep this recipe as simple as possible because you want to use it to compliment the seafood, not mask it.
  • The brine from the capers and pickles provides plenty of acid to the sauce, so there is no need for lemon juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe was last modified: March 16th, 2020 by Chef Billy Parisi

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ABOUT ME

I’m Billy Parisi and thanks for checking out my site! I’m a culinary school grad that spent 15 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, sous chef and executive chef. Now I write recipes, take pictures of’em, shoot some video, occasionally hosting on TV, checking out the latest fashion, hangin with my wife and daughter and watching a whole bunch of college sports. Hope you enjoy my twists on classics as well as new innovations! Read More…

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