Do you prefer making your own customized dips and sauces at home? If so, this easy homemade Tartar sauce recipe will win your heart. Our homemade Tartar Sauce recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and takes just a few minutes to whip up. The best part is you can customize it according to your taste preferences.
Our classic Tartar sauce is rich with mayonnaise, tangy with lemon juice, and spicy with Dijon mustard. The use of some fresh herbs makes it even better. Pair it with your homemade fish recipes and enjoy extraordinary flavors. Tag along!
Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe Ingredients:
Need a dip for your fried fish items this winter? Go for our creamy, tangy Tartar sauce recipe. It’s cheaper but tastes multiple times better than the store-bought bottles of Tartar sauces.
Homemade Tartar sauce requires no cooking and pairs perfectly with fish, seafood, and more. I guess the ingredients are already available at home. Let’s know the ingredients in detail:
Mayonnaise:
As Tartar sauce is a mayonnaise-based sauce, mayonnaise comes first in the ingredients list. Use mayonnaise of any brand you like. 1 cup mayonnaise makes our tartar sauce all rich, creamy, and delicious.
Plain Yogurt:
Yogurt pairs well with the mayonnaise and creates a brighter Tartar sauce. You can also skip the yogurt and use 2 cups of mayonnaise. Regular yogurt will give you a thinner sauce and Greek yogurt will be a little thicker. I use ¼ cup of Greek yogurt in the creamy fish dip.
Dijon Mustard:
Dijon mustard is a kind of prepared mustard. It radiates a light spiciness in the fried fish sauce. 1 teaspoon will be enough. Don’t use more than that, or the sauce may taste bitter.
Lemon Juice:
The acidity of lemon juice acts best with fish. It makes the Tartar sauce bright, tangy, and good for seafood. Use 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice in the homemade Tartar dip recipe.
Black Pepper:
Freshly ground black pepper gives complexity to the flavor of Tartar sauce. ½ teaspoon will be enough.
Dill Relish:
Dill relish is made of cucumber, dill seeds, garlic, cider vinegar, and pickling salt. It improves the consistency and shelf life of the sauce as it contains vinegar. I used ¼ cup of dill relish in the quick Tartar sauce recipe.
Onion Powder:
Onion powder makes the sauce slightly spicy and gives depth to the flavors. Don’t have onion powder? Saute minced onion in the olive oil and add to the Tartar sauce.
Honey:
Honey balances all the tangy flavors in the sauce. Use ½ teaspoon or skip if you want to make it sugar-free.
Dried Dill:
Garnish the sauce with some dried dill while serving. It’ll make the sauce a little brighter and good-looking.
Basil:
Fresh basil leaves give such a freshness to the flavors of our pickled relish sauce. Use 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped basil in the recipe.
Kosher Salt:
Use ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt or more if you need to.
How to Make Tartar Sauce:
Our Classic Tartar sauce recipe is so versatile that once you try it, you’ll be a fan of it. Be it your fish fillets, fish fingers, or salmon cakes, this lemon Tartar sauce will surely enhance your dining experience. Mayonnaise and yogurt create the base.
Dill relish and lemon juice give the tang. Dried dill and basil give the sauce a fresh herby vibe. Ready for the 10-minute sauce Tartar sauce recipe? All you’ve got to do is stir together the ingredients. It’s so simple that it’s actually not even a recipe.
Step 1:
It is the preparational step. Squeeze lemon juice, chop basil, and dill relish. Measure and gather the remaining ingredients.
Step 2:
This is the mixing step. Put mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, and other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together very well. The best tartar sauce for fish sticks is ready. Serve instantly or let sit for at least 20 minutes for better flavor and texture.
Recipe Tips & Notes:
- Use a good quality pickled relish for an authentic taste in the sauce. You can also use homemade pickles.
- For a stronger kick, add a few dashes of the hot sauce you have on hand.
- The resting period is important as it lets all the flavors meld into the sauce. Skipping this step may make your Tartar sauce taste bland.
- You can use regular yogurt for a thinner Tartar sauce, or Greek yogurt for a thicker sauce. Or, simply add more mayonnaise for a very thick Tartar sauce.
- Wanna make your Tartar sauce more herby? Add chives and tarragon for a more herby flavor in the Tartar sauce.
- Cover and store this tangy seafood sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’ll taste as good as freshly made. I don’t recommend freezing Tartar sauce as the texture will not be the same when thawed and reheated.
- You can substitute yogurt with sour cream. It’ll work just fine.
- You can use homemade mayonnaise to make the sauce vegan.
- Finely chopped sauteed onion can be a warm addition to the dill lemon Tartar sauce.
| Nutrition Facts | |||
| Calories(per serving) | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 180 | 16 g | 5 g | 3 g |
Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ Cup Dill relish
- 1 Teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon Basil leaves
- ½ Teaspoon Freshly ground Blacpepper
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil
- ½ Teaspoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill
Instructions
- Squeeze lemon juice , chop basil, and dill relish. Measure and gather the remaining ingredients
- Put mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, and other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together very well. The best tartar sauce for fish sticks is ready
- Serve instantly or let sit for at least 20 minutes for better flavor and texture
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
Though the Tartar sauce recipe is simple enough for anyone to make without hassle, here I’ll answer some frequently asked questions.
1. What Is Tartar Sauce?
Tartar sauce is a mayonnaise-based tangy fish and seafood sauce. It’s basically mayonnaise seasoned with dill pickles and fresh herbs. It originated in France but is popular around the world.
2. What Are The Traditional Ingredients For Tartar Sauce?
Mayonnaise is the basic ingredient to make Tartar sauce. Lemon juice, dill relish, salt, and pepper are used to improve the blandness of mayonnaise. Fresh herbs give some earthiness in the flavors.
3. Can You Customize Tartar Sauce?
This simple Tartar sauce recipe is customization-friendly. Alter the ingredients according to your buds. Make it spicy by adding some more black pepper. Add more honey to make a sweeter version.
To add more kick use 1 teaspoon of horseradish. Also, you can change the herbs according to your preference and availability. Use capers for extra tartness.
Worcestershire sauce will give an umami flavor. Parsley leaves will improve both the look and taste of this fish-friendly condiment.
4. What Are The Best Ways To Serve Tartar Sauce?
There are numerous healthy meal options made with Tartar sauce. Here are some for you:
As A Dipping sauce:
Dip fries, baked fish fillets, fried shrimp, fish fingers, baked salmon, steak fries, chicken nuggets, wings, fried tuna, or simply any fried item to our creamy Tartar sauce. Trust me, it enhances the taste of fried items tremendously. Sometimes I make fries just to enjoy the leftover sauce.
As a Sandwich Base:
Our creamy herb tartar sauce is amazing as a sandwich spread. Also, spread it on pizza, wraps, burger patties, or simple garlic bread, it tastes delicious. Use it to make pasta and spaghetti.
As A Salad Dressing:
Tartar sauce works excellently as a salad dressing. Add fried tuna and chopped onions with it to make a tuna salad. Or add hard-boiled chopped eggs and some tomatoes to make an egg salad.
Last Words:
This all-purpose tangy mayo-based Tartar sauce is so flavorsome that your family and guests will thank you for serving it. Kids love having it with fries and fingers. It is not too tangy to spoil the original taste of seafood.
Pickles and herbs make the mayo sauce extremely delicious. Serve with your favorite seafood, roasted vegetables, or even as a sandwich spread! It’s good in every way.
