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Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe

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This easy homemade tartar sauce recipe is so simple to make. You're going to love the tangy flavor of this creamy sauce.

It pairs so well with seafood dishes like crab cakes, fish sticks, popcorn shrimp, grilled fish, as well as roasted vegetables, or baked potato.

It's a savory, versatile sauce. If you like citrus, mustard, and pickles - you'll like this sauce.

Tartar sauce in a bowl next to crab cakes.

Why You Should Make Homemade Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce (also called sauce tartare) is originally a French sauce that's become popular worldwide - especially in Commonwealth countries and the US. It's a well-known condiment typically served with fish and chips.

You've got to try making a homemade version though because it's so fresh and deeply flavorful! It's also incredibly easy to make.

You can also tweak it to add more relish, lemon juice, or mustard if you'd like one flavor to be a little stronger. It's so much better than the jarred stuff.

Mayonnaise, sweet relish, lemon, parsley, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients For Tartar Sauce Recipe

This recipe makes a small batch of tartar sauce. Here's what you'll need.

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Ingredients for tartar sauce in a glass mixing bowl.

How to Make this Creamy Tartar Sauce

Combine the mayonnaise, pickle relish, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir till fully combined. 

Serve immediately or save in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

More Sauce Recipes to Try

If you're looking for more dipping sauce ideas, try one of these great recipes.

Homemade tartar sauce in a mixing bowl.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Links on some posts are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Specialty Ingredients - I highly recommend using Duke's Mayo for this recipe - I think it has the best flavor.

Storing Tips - You can save the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.

Yield: Makes ¾ cup sauce

Easy Tartar Sauce

A bowl of tartar sauce with a gold spoon next to crab cakes.

This delicious homemade tartar sauce is incredibly easy to make and is fantastic with crab cakes, shrimp, and fish.

Prep Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the mayonnaise, pickle relish, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir till fully combined. 
  2. Serve immediately or save in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 403mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g

jim

Wednesday 1st of February 2023

If you have kids waiting? I didn't have parsley or lemon juice so I just hit it with couple dashes of onion powder and the kids ask for fish sticks all the time now.

Sherri

Saturday 21st of May 2022

Pretty good - I added minced red onions. Felt like it was too salty so when I make it again, I'll cut that back. Tasted like South Carolina low country tartar sauce to me, which is what I was looking for.

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