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If you love seafood, a batch of easy tartar sauce belongs in your fridge. This creamy, tangy, traditional tartar sauce takes just minutes to mix and uses simple, fresh ingredients. With the perfect balance of sweet, acidic and herbal flavors, it pairs beautifully with everything from fish fillets and shrimp to fries or sandwiches. Once you make your own tartar sauce from scratch, you’ll never want to buy tartar sauce from the grocery store again. It’s quick, tasty and always hits the mark.
Why You’ll Love It
This easy tartar sauce is creamy, tangy and full of fresh flavor. It’s perfect with fish and seafood, fries or sandwiches and takes just a few minutes to make.
Easy to make: Just mix the ingredients in one bowl and it’s ready to serve.
Customizable: Adjust the tang, sweetness or herbs to suit your taste.
Fresh and flavorful: No preservatives, just clean ingredients and bold taste.
Perfect with seafood: The ideal sauce for fried fish, crab cakes or shrimp.
You might also like to make your own Italian salsa verde, pesto sauce, whole lemon vinaigrette, or garlic marinara sauce.
Quick Tartar Sauce Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Mayonnaise: Creates the creamy base of the sauce.
Sweet pickle relish: Adds a mild sweetness and crunch.
Lemon juice: Brings acidity and brightness to balance the richness. Use real lemon, not bottled, for the best flavor.
Onion: Provides a mild sharpness and crunch.
Fresh dill weed and parsley: Add herby flavor and a pop of color.
How to Make Tartar Sauce
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Mix the ingredients: Combine mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, onion, dill and parsley in a bowl.
Adjust the flavor: Taste and tweak the seasonings to suit your preference.
Chill before serving: Let the sauce sit for a while so the flavors can blend.
Substitutions and Variations
Dill pickles: Swap sweet relish for chopped dill pickles if you prefer a tangier version, or add a little pickle juice. You can add a little sugar if you’re using sour pickles to balance out the taste.
Dried herbs: You can use dried herbs instead of fresh. As they’re more potent in flavor, start with ½ teaspoon each of dried parsley and dill, adding more if needed. Some people like to use tarragon in place of dill weed.
Optional add-ins: Include a pinch of garlic powder and onion powder along with the fresh onion, spicy mayo or a dash of hot sauce to spice it up, or a dash of Dijon mustard or Worcestershire sauce.
Add capers: For a briny twist, mix in chopped capers.
Try Greek yogurt: Replace some or all of the mayo with full fat Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
Sour cream: Swap some of the mayonnaise with sour cream for extra tang.
Serving Suggestions
With fish: Enjoy it with a plate of English fish and chips or with blackened mahi mahi, salmon cakes, or your favorite seafood meals.
With fries: It’s a wonderful recipe paired with polenta fries, roasted veggies or sweet potato wedges.
More ideas: Add some tartar sauce to a fish sandwich or blackened salmon sliders, or try it with this herbed butter pork chops and shrimp dish.
How to Store
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 to 4 days. Stir the sauce before serving if it has separated.
Freeze: Don’t freeze tartar sauce, otherwise it may separate and become grainy when thawed.
Top Tips
Mince ingredients finely: Finely chopping the onions and herbs ensures a smooth, even texture.
Taste as you go: Small adjustments to lemon juice or relish can make a big difference.
Let it rest: If you have time, let the sauce chill so the flavors meld together. I like to give it at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving.
Use fresh herbs: Fresh dill and parsley give the best flavor and texture.
Best Homemade Tartar Sauce FAQs
Yes, but use about half of the fresh amount since dried herbs are more concentrated.
Yes, lime juice works well and gives a slightly different citrus flavor, although of course it’s not as traditional.
Absolutely, it adds creaminess and tang to burgers, wraps or sandwiches.
It’s believed to have originated in France in the 1800s as an accompaniment to steak tartar, hence the name.
Easy Tartar Sauce Recipe
Easy Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
- 3 Tablespoons onion, finely minced
- 2 Teaspoons dill, freshly minced
- 2 Teaspoons parsley, freshly minced
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well mixed.
- Taste the tartar sauce and adjust the seasonings.
- Add more lemon juice for more tartness and acidity, more sweet pickle relish for more sweetness, or more mayonnaise if the flavors are too bold.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If time, cover and chill for at least half a hour so the flavors can meld together.
- Serve garnished with fresh herbs, if liked.
Notes
Taste as you go: Small adjustments to lemon juice or relish can make a big difference.
Let it rest: If you have time, let the sauce chill so the flavors meld together. I like to give it at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving.
Use fresh herbs: Fresh dill and parsley give the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
This easy tartar sauce recipe comes together in minutes and brings creamy, herby flavor to any dish. It’s an ideal match for seafood, fries or anything that could use a little tangy richness. Once you see how simple and tasty it is to make this homemade tartar sauce recipe, you’ll want to keep a jar of it on hand. Fresh herbs, lemon and a bit of sweetness make it a great addition to your condiment rotation.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
