If you’re serving crab cakes, fish or shrimp, there’s one condiment that belongs on the table: tartar sauce.
And while it’s easy enough to grab a jar at the grocery store, homemade tartar sauce takes just a few minutes to make and tastes so much fresher. You can also adjust the ingredients to suit your taste, whether you like your tartar sauce extra tangy, loaded with pickles, or finished with a little fresh dill.
What Is Tartar Sauce?
Tartar sauce is a creamy condiment traditionally made with mayonnaise, pickles or relish, and a few flavorful additions. Depending on the recipe, it may also contain lemon juice, capers, onion, herbs or other seasonings.
It’s most commonly served with seafood, particularly fried fish, but there’s no reason to stop there. Tartar sauce is also delicious with roasted potatoes, burgers and vegetables. I like to use it in tuna salad or sardine salad in place of mayonnaise.
Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce
Here’s the easy, inexpensive tartar sauce recipe.
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 dill pickle spear, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoons dill or parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well blended.
Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
How Long Does Homemade Tartar Sauce Last?
Store homemade tartar sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator and use it within several days. Because the recipe contains mayonnaise and fresh ingredients, it shouldn’t be left sitting at room temperature for an extended period.
For the best quality, make a small batch and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.