Easy Tartar Sauce
This homemade tartar sauce is incredibly easy to make with just a handful of simple ingredients. Creamy mayonnaise is combined with tangy pickles, briny capers, fresh herbs, and bright lemon juice to create a condiment that's far superior to anything store-bought. Ready in just 5 minutes, this versatile sauce pairs perfectly with fried fish, crab cakes, shrimp, and so much more.
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Chef's knife and cutting board For chopping ingredients
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk or spoon
- Airtight container For storage
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise 240ml
- 3 tablespoons dill pickle relish 45ml, or finely chopped dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons capers 30ml, drained and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 15ml, from about half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon shallot finely minced, or use onion
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 5ml
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce optional, for a subtle kick
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain the capers well and chop them into smaller pieces. If using whole dill pickles instead of relish, finely chop them until you have about 3 tablespoons.
- Add the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to your mixing bowl and whisk them together until smooth. This creates a creamy, well-blended base for the other ingredients.
- Stir in the dill pickle relish, chopped capers, minced shallot, and lemon juice. Mix well to combine all the pickled ingredients evenly throughout the mayonnaise base.
- Fold in the chopped fresh parsley and dill, stirring gently to distribute the herbs evenly throughout the sauce without overmixing.
- Add hot sauce if desired, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed, remembering that flavors will develop as the sauce chills.
- Transfer the tartar sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting time allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Notes
- Use quality mayonnaise as it's the base of this sauce - choose one you genuinely enjoy eating
- Chop all ingredients finely for better flavor distribution and smoother texture
- Don't skip the 30-minute chilling time - it allows flavors to blend and develop properly
- Drain watery ingredients like capers and pickles well to prevent the sauce from becoming too thin
- This sauce actually tastes better the next day after flavors have had time to meld
- For a sweeter version, use sweet pickle relish instead of dill relish
- Add more lemon juice for extra tanginess or more pickles for additional crunch
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days
- Fresh herbs provide much better flavor than dried versions, but you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried dill if needed
- For a spicier version, increase hot sauce to 1/2 teaspoon or add a pinch of cayenne pepper
Nutrition
Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 334mgPotassium: 28mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 2mg
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