Tartar Sauce
Updated Jan 12, 2026
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This homemade tartar sauce is creamy, tangy, and built from simple pantry ingredients you probably already have. Made with mayonnaise, dill pickles or relish, lemon juice, and a hint of Dijon or capers, it’s the perfect partner for fried fish, seafood, shrimp, crab cakes, or even roasted veggies and sandwiches. Unlike store-bought jars, this version is bright, fresh, and head and shoulders above the pre-made sauce.
If you love a tangy, creamy sauce that makes every bite of fish, seafood, or fried food sparkle, this Tartar Sauce is about to become a staple in your fridge. A handful of pantry stars — mayonnaise, briny dill pickles or relish, lemon juice, maybe a little Dijon or capers — turns into a bright, balanced condiment that’s so much better than anything in a jar. And it takes just 5 minutes to make!
Whether you’re serving it with crispy fish, fried shrimp, crab cakes, or even as a dip for fries or veggies, this homemade tartar sauce feels fresh, satisfying, and just easy enough to make any night of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can eat it with anything
- Brightens any dish
- Balanced flavor
Try it with Zucchini Fritti, Fried Fish Sandwich, or Fried Calamari.
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What's In This Post?
What Is Tartar Sauce?
The etymology of the name is a bit unclear. The origin of the sauce is France, where the sauce was named for the Tartars, and there may be a connection to steak tartar, which was sometimes served with a sauce like this one. The Tartars (sometimes spelled Tatars) were a group of people who settled in the Ukraine and parts of Russia. Apparently, they introduced the concept of steak tartar, raw meat finely chopped, mixed with egg, and paired with this mayo-based sauce.
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – The creamy base.
- Fresh lemon juice – For brightness and acidity.
- Minced cornichons – Some recipes call for bottled sweet pickle relish, but with cornichon pickles, you have a fresher, zingier sauce.
- Capers – For texture, saltiness, and flavor.
- Dijon mustard – For a bit of spiciness and tang.
- Tarragon leaves – For a subtle sweetness and anise-y flavor.
How to Make Tartar Sauce
- Combine the ingredients: Mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cornichons, scallions, capers, mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
What to Serve With Tartar Sauce
Another way to serve tartar sauce is to spread it on baguette slices and float the bread in a seafood or fish stew.
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced cornichons (baby gherkin pickles)
- 1 tablespoon capers (drained and minced)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cornichons, scallions, capers, mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
