Once you learn how to make tartar sauce, you'll never buy it at the store again! This recipe is creamy, tangy, and easy to make in under 10 minutes.
This tartar sauce recipe is creamy, fresh, and packed with tangy, savory flavor. No store-bought version I’ve tried comes close! Luckily, this homemade tartar sauce is easy to make with simple ingredients like mayo, dill pickles, capers, and lemon. You can whip up a batch in 10 minutes or less!
Tartar sauce is traditionally served with seafood, but we love this recipe with potatoes, veggies, and more. Really, anytime you feel like a dish could use a rich, tangy pop of flavor, you can make this tartar sauce recipe to brighten it up!
Tartar Sauce Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this tartar sauce recipe:
- Mayonnaise – It creates the sauce’s rich and creamy base. I also love this recipe with a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt for a slightly lighter, extra-tangy twist.
- Fresh lemon juice – It makes the sauce nice and bright.
- Capers and diced dill pickles – They add salty, briny flavor and chunky texture. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can use chopped sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish instead of the dill pickles. You may need less sugar in this case. Start with a pinch and add more to taste.
- Dijon mustard – It adds extra tang and a peppery bite.
- Fresh garlic and onion powder – For sharp, savory depth of flavor.
- Sugar – Its sweetness balances the tangy mustard, capers, and pickles.
- Fresh dill – I think the dill is what really sets this recipe apart from store-bought. It adds wonderful freshness and a delicious sour kick. Feel free to substitute other fresh herbs if you prefer. Fresh parsley or chives work well!
- Freshly ground black pepper – It makes the peppery notes of the mustard pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Tartar Sauce
This easy recipe has two simple steps:
- First, prep the ingredients. Dice the pickles, mince the capers, chop the dill, and grate the garlic.
- Then, mix it all together! Add the mayo, chopped pickles, capers, dill, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and several grinds of pepper to a medium bowl. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper as desired.
That’s it!
What to Serve with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Tartar sauce is traditionally served with seafood dishes like crab cakes, fish and chips, and even fish sticks, but in our house, we often eat it with veggies! Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy it:
- As a dipping sauce with crispy baked (or air fried) veggies like my air fryer French fries, air fryer cauliflower, or baked zucchini chips
- On a crudité platter. Serve it as a dip with your favorite fresh vegetables!
- With grilled or roasted veggies. Dollop the sauce onto roasted cauliflower, roasted broccoli, grilled corn, grilled zucchini, or any grilled vegetables.
- On a sandwich. I especially love it in place of the remoulade sauce in this Crispy Cauliflower Po’ Boy.
- In a baked potato or air fryer baked potato. It’s a delicious alternative to the traditional sour cream.
How do you like to use homemade tartar sauce? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store
Leftover sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply stir before using!
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these easy homemade sauces next:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
Tartar Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons diced dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayo, pickles, capers, dill, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and several grinds of pepper. Season to taste.
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Second time I’ve made it and it’s really good, as are all the recipes we’ve tried on this site. I cut the sugar in. half and so far as I know didn’t miss it. We had company over for fresh salmon burgers (Mark Bittman’s recipe is fantastic) and everyone raved about the burgers and your sauce.
Hi Bill, I’m so glad you love the sauce!
I love it on chicken sandwiches!!
Also, I add some dried dill weed. I don’t measure it, but know that a little goes a LONG way.
Hi Tracey, agree that this sauce is great on just about any sandwich! Love the idea of adding dried dill.
Relish is a quick go to in tartar as well . Adds sweet , just add cracked black pepper to balance
Terrific recipe! I agree with you that it will lift more than fish and chips (which I make every once in a while for a weekend treat and made this to go with my recent batch). It’s delicious with roasted veggies. I’ve never commented on your recipes but wanted to tell you how much I love your site. We’re omnivores but eat a lot of veg-based meals and I think your recipes and ideas are thoughtful, creative and joyful, but also so useful. Thank you for sharing them all!
Hi Nicole, I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes!
I used kew pie Mayo and skipped the capers since I was out. Still delicious. Trying to recreate Paia fish market tartar. Definitely a keeper. Can’t wait to try with capers. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love tarter sauce on French fries!!