Homemade Tartar Sauce
This Tartar Sauce Recipe is beyond easy and not to mention delicious. With just a few ingredients you can make your own and you’ll never buy the pre-made stuff again!
When you start experimenting more with cooking you begin to realize that many of the things that you buy pre-made are actually really easy to make on your own.
Honey mustard? Excellent and easy to make at home. Aioli? Easy to make and change up flavors to suit your tastes! Tartar sauce is another one of those things that once you start making at home, you’ll never want to buy it again.
One would think that after working 6 years in a seafood restaurant where they served all you can eat fish and chips on Wednesdays that I would want to stay as far away as possible from tartar sauce.
But despite the fact that I ate and on a few occasions, wore, my fair share of this delicious seafood dip, I still believe that no fish stick dinner is complete without it.
And neither do my kiddos.
What ingredients do you need for a homemade tartar sauce recipe?
When it comes to making your own condiments, you’d be surprised at how many of the ingredients are actually staples in your kitchen. Making homemade BBQ sauce? It’s mostly ketchup, brown sugar and a few seasonings. Homemade cocktail sauce? Ketchup, Worcestershire and garlic salt.
This Tartar Sauce Recipe is no different. Most of the ingredients you will already have on hand. To make your own tartar sauce you will need mayonnaise, capers, yellow onion, sweet pickle relish, dill pickles, dijon mustard and parsley.
If there is one ingredient that you need that might not be in your pantry it’s probably the capers.
Personally, I always have capers on hand. Capers are actually the bud of a flower and their briny, saltiness is a favorite around here. I use them in bruschetta, chicken piccata, artichoke tapenade and this tartar sauce.
There are a few different sizes of capers. For this recipe, you’ll want non-peril capers which are the smallest. I find that they work the best for most recipes.
How long will homemade tartar sauce keep?
Tartar sauce should last a couple of days in your refrigerator.
What do you dip in tartar sauce?
Obviously, fish sticks are a favorite around here. As are french fries. It also makes a great topping for fish sandwiches
Note: This post was originally written in 2009. Photos were updated in 2018.
Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons minced dill pickle
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Serve.
Notes
Enjoy!
Nutrition information
Amount per serving: 4 servings
Calories: 127 , Total Fat: 9.9g , Saturated Fat: 1.5g , Cholesterol: 8mg , Sodium: 368mg , Carbohydrates: 10.2g , Fiber: 0.3g , Sugar: 4.2g , Protein: 0.5g
Melanie Bauer
April 17, 2019 at 3:16 amSounds spectacular! Simple and easy to make yet super delicious, so excited to make this!
Anna
April 16, 2019 at 2:20 pmI never buy it in the store anymore! This is the best!
Allyson Zea
April 16, 2019 at 11:45 amI always make this at home because it’s way tastier than the jarred one!
Taylor W.
April 16, 2019 at 7:02 amHomemade tartar sauce is so much better than store-bought! Yum!
Jen
April 15, 2019 at 9:38 amMy boys are obsessed with fish sticks and I’ve always gotten store bought sauce. I didn’t realize it was so easy to make your own, thanks!
Demeter
April 15, 2019 at 9:37 amHomemade sauces always offer the best flavor! Plus, super easy to make.
Sarah
April 8, 2019 at 4:46 pmI love this! I make fish dinners at home all the time, but I didn’t realize tartar sauce is so easy to make from scratch! DOING THIS! :D
Chrissy
April 8, 2019 at 4:40 pmAhhh so happy I found this! I was making a fish sandwich and needed a quick homemade tartar sauce to put on top – soooo good.
Rhonda
March 6, 2019 at 2:27 pmI didn’t have any onion, so I used dry. I also added about a teaspoon of cream style horseradish. Very good.
Deseree
March 6, 2019 at 3:13 pmI love the addition of cream style horseradish! I bet it added a nice kick!
Debra
December 31, 2018 at 10:36 amSomehow I knew these were ingredients, but I always need the proportions. It’s delish!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity
December 3, 2018 at 2:16 amThis is really awesome! Looks and sounds so easy to make!
Michelle
November 30, 2018 at 10:45 amLooks great. I am happy to actually be able to see and taste the herbs…usually is just pickle mayo.
Melanie Bauer
November 29, 2018 at 10:43 pmLooks fantastic! Love how easy to make this recipe, adding to my list of must makes!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
November 29, 2018 at 5:38 pmI have never found a jarred sauce that I love. Can’t wait to make a homemade version!
Amanda
November 29, 2018 at 3:06 pmI have so many things I want to try this with!!
Nick
November 29, 2018 at 1:04 pmI’m going to have to give this a try!
Chrissie Baker
November 29, 2018 at 12:02 pmI LOVE that! It sounds perfect for wings, chips, fries, and pretty much anything that can be slathered with sauce. Om nom nom.
Brian
January 19, 2010 at 9:28 amI always add some pickle juice into my tartar sauce, it adds a nice tangy flavor.
chocolate shavings
October 6, 2009 at 5:06 amHomemade Tartar sauce is the best – yours looks delicious!
Kathy - Cooking On the Side
October 5, 2009 at 1:00 pmI do love to indulge in tartar sauce with fried fish :-) Thanks for the recipe – I’m making my own next time!
gaga
October 5, 2009 at 4:56 amWho knew it was so easy? I’m never buying the store stuff again!
Anita
October 4, 2009 at 6:17 pmIt sounds great with the capers in the recipe, it would taste delicious!
cassie
October 3, 2009 at 7:23 pmWe make our own but I’ve never added capers. I’ll have to try that next time.
Aly
October 2, 2009 at 6:35 pmWe always just mixed mayo and relish together for it. I guess I could try this, too, since it will be definitely a lot different. I’m not a fan of capers, though.
Jessie
October 2, 2009 at 3:10 pmyumm!! I love tartar sauce too, I can’t believe how simple and easy it is make!