The Ultimate Creamy & Tangy Homemade Tartar Sauce (Better Than Store-Bought)
Make this easy homemade tartar sauce from scratch. It delivers a fresh, bright, and tangy flavor that improves any seafood dish, far surpassing jarred versions.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 10 min
- Yield: About 1 1/4 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish, drained
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, chopped dill pickles, chopped capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, onion powder, black pepper, and salt to the bowl.
- Use a whisk or spoon to mix all ingredients together until they are completely combined and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed; add more lemon juice for tang or salt for flavor.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the tartar sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together.
- Serve this creamy dipping sauce with fried fish, crab cakes, or fish and chips.
Notes
- For a copycat version similar to restaurant style, use finely minced celery instead of some of the relish.
- You can prepare this sauce up to three days ahead; the flavor deepens overnight.
- If you prefer a smoother texture, pulse the ingredients briefly in a food processor instead of chopping by hand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2.5
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 1
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 7