Tartar Sauce
Tartar Sauce is a simple condiment that pairs well with seafood, adding a creamy and briny contrast to Crab Cakes, Salmon Cakes, and more!
It only takes a few minutes to mix together this homemade sauce, and you’ll be rewarded with something much better than anything you can buy at the store.
Freshness makes all the difference in flavor with sauces like this, and I think it’s why people are so blown away when they make things like Blue Cheese Dip, Buffalo Wing Sauce, or Caesar Dressing at home.
You can get it bottled at the store, but when it’s been sitting on the shelf for months, it’s not going to taste as good.
Fortunately, this sauce only takes about 5-10 minutes to mix together.
What is Tartar Sauce?
If you’re not familiar, it’s a creamy, briny condiment that’s typically served with seafood, and it’s primarily made of mayonnaise and pickles.
My pickle preference is to use Cornichons, which is a tiny kind of pickle that people also refer to as gherkins:
You can get them in the pickle section of nearly all grocery stores.
How to Make Tartar Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine high-quality mayonnaise, chopped cornichons, parsley, capers, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper:
I use homemade Mayonnaise when I make this sauce because I’m really picky about the flavor, but using a storebought mayonnaise is perfectly fine, so long as you love the flavor of the one you’re using.
Stir everything together to combine:
And that’s it! It really only takes a few minutes to mix together, and it can be stored in the fridge, at the ready for any seafood dish you prepare.
Fried Calamari is another one of my favorite recipes to pair with a homemade tartar sauce. Enjoy!
Dietary Restrictions: This Tartar Sauce is gluten free, dairy free, and Whole30 compliant. You can make it vegan by using a fabanaise or other vegan mayonnaise.
Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise (use a high-quality one with a flavor you enjoy)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cornichons
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tsp minced capers
- 1 tsp whole grain mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir to combine all ingredients.
- Place in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Really good sauce! Much better than the bottled stuff.