Easy Tartar Sauce

The difference between store-bought and homemade Tartar sauce is HUGE! Here I’ll show you easiest and most delicious way to make Tartar sauce at home.

Tartar sauce is a really underrated sauce in my opinion. It’s herby, creamy, tart and vibrant and all round lip-smackingly delicious! You’d classically pair it with fish, but it actually compliments so many different things.

Tartar Sauce Ingredients

Tartar sauce is one of those recipes you won’t see made the same way twice. Here’s what I deem to be the best way to make it:

• Mayonnaise – This makes up the bulk of the sauce. Ensure it’s full fat for the best flavour! This sauce is already quite tangy, and using low fat mayo options will make it way too tangy.
• Cornichons – These are essentially just small pickled cucumbers. If you can’t find them just use regular Gherkins. If you’re in the US you’re after Dill Pickles.
• Capers – These add a nice salty flavour to the sauce. You can keep them whole or finely dice like I’ve done here.
• Parsley – Adds a nice fresh burst of flavour.
• Dill – This gives that classic tartar sauce flavour.
• Lemon – This cuts through the richness of the mayo and adds a nice vibrant flavour.

And that’s it! Some recipes add boiled egg, shallots, mustard and different herbs. But in my opinion you really don’t need all the fuss. Keep it simple. These 6 ingredients give you all the classic flavour you need!

Can I use dried herbs?

Fresh herbs will infuse better. You could sub dried, but you’ll definitely want to make sure you let the sauce rest for a couple of hours, just to allow the herbs to work in their flavours. As a rough guide 1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh.

How to make Tartar Sauce

First thing I suggest to do is make it ahead of time. You can serve it right away, but by letting it sit for a couple of hours you deepen the flavour and give time for everything to marry together.

Tartar sauce is all about preference too, so don’t be scared to taste test and adjust the seasoning as needed. Tartar sauce by nature is quite ‘tart’ and I like it that way. If you find it too acidic though just add a dash of sugar to balance things out. I tend not to add salt as capers are already very salty. Feel free to also add some black pepper too if you fancy!

How long does homemade Tartar sauce last in the fridge?

I tend to keep it from anywhere between 4-7 days, but you can keep it longer at your discretion. Just ensure it’s kept tightly covered and is recovered each time it’s used.

Serving Tartar Sauce

It’s great as a dip for things such as Garlic Parmesan Fries, Halloumi Fries and Sweet Potato Wedges, perfect with fish and great with roasted veggies. Here? We’re of course serving it in a sandwich. A Fish Finger Sandwich to be precise 😛

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this tartar sauce shall we?!

How to make Tartar Sauce (Full Recipe & Video)

Easy Tartar Sauce

The difference between store-bought and homemade Tartar sauce is HUGE! Here I'll show you easiest and most delicious way to make Tartar sauce at home.

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Course: Condiment, sauce

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings (click & slide): 8

Calories per serving: 197kcal

Author: Chris

Cost per serving: £1 / $1

Equipment

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Spatula

Ingredients

• 1 cup / 240g Full Fat Mayo
• 2 tbsp Capers, finely diced (can roughly dice or keep whole if you wanted)
• 2 tbsp finely diced Cornichons/Gherkins (see notes)
• 1 heaped tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley
• 2 tsp finely diced Fresh Dill
• 1 Lemon, juice only (or to taste - see notes)

Instructions

• Combine all of your ingredients in a small mixing bowl or pot and adjust to taste. See recipe notes for subs/suggestions!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Lemon Juice - This is add a hit of acidity. Tartar sauce is classically paired with fish, so a good hit of lemon also compliments that too. If you don't have lemon juice you can sub white wine vinegar, or even the brine from the cornichons/gherkins. In all cases just start off with around 1tbsp and adjust accordingly. I usually use a whole lemon (approx 2 tbsp), but work to taste. Tartar is usually fairly tangy.

b) Cornichons - These are small pickled cucumbers (about the size of your pinky). If you can't find them just use regular Gherkins. If you're in the US you're after Dill Pickles.

c) Salt, Pepper & Sugar - I don't usually add salt because the capers are already quite salty, but you can add a pinch if you want. If you find the dip too acidic/salty just add a dash of white sugar to balance out the flavours. You can also add black or white pepper if you wish.

d) Make Ahead - I highly recommend making this ahead of time and resting in the fridge until needed! This will help marry the flavours together. It'll last 4-7 days tightly covered in the fridge (longer at your discretion).

e) Calories - one serving (8 in total)

Your Private Notes:

Click here to add your own private notes or reminders about this recipe.

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Easy Tartar Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 197 Calories from Fat 191

% Daily Value*

Fat 21.24g33%

Saturated Fat 3.321g21%

Trans Fat 0.053g

Polyunsaturated Fat 12.619g

Monounsaturated Fat 4.798g

Cholesterol 12mg4%

Sodium 366mg16%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 1.42g0%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 0.51g1%

Protein 0.53g1%

Vitamin A 84IU2%

Vitamin C 3.6mg4%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 0.26mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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