Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (2024)

Condiments, Recipes, Uncategorized | 15 comments

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After you make this Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe, you’ll never eat store-bought tartar sauce again! This super easy recipe can be part of a low-carb, keto, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, diabetic, or Whole-30 diet.

Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (2)

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This recipe for tartar sauce may make you change the way you think about the condiment! There is something about making tartar sauce with truly fresh ingredients that makes it sing! Fresh dill and fresh onions make all the difference in flavor.

So with hundreds of recipes for tartar sauce on the internet, what makes this one different? Pickle juice! Instead of using lemon juice or vinegar like so many recipes do, I decided to use pickle juice for that acid in the recipe. The results are fantastic! Pickle juice already contains a lot of the flavors we love in tartar sauce, like dill and garlic. These flavors have already had time to truly harmonize with each other. Instead of adding a single bright note, like we would if we added a vinegar or lemon juice, we add a melange of flavor along with the brightness.

Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (3)

Another thing that sets this tartar sauce apart is the use of red pepper flakes. Using red pepper flakes is something I find myself doing more and more in my cooking. I love the spark of heat it gives foods. Adding just a bit keeps the heat from being overwhelming. I find that these spicy flakes compliment the dill quite nicely.

This Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe takes only a few minutes to whip up to serve with your favorite fish. Don’t have a low-carb fish recipe, yet? No worries! Just check back on Monday for a low-carb fish recipe that goes perfectly with this recipe. For a sneak peak, check out the last photo.

Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (4)

Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (5)

5 from 7 votes

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After you make this Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe, you'll never eat store-bought tartar sauce again! This recipe can be part of a low-carb, keto, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, diabetic, or Whole-30 diet.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American, low-carb

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 20

Author Annissa Slusher

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

    Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (6)

  2. Stir to blend.

    Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (7)

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 tablespoon

Per serving:

Calories: 71

Fat (g): 8

Carbs (g): <1

'Fiber (g): 0

Net carbs (g): <1

Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (8)

  1. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (10)

    Haley on March 6, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Annissa,
    This tartar sauce is the bomb.com! So good, and I think whenever I go out to eat or know I’m going to eat fish, I’m hauling this sauce with me. Amazing!!! (Plus after your bleu cheese dressing, I kept thinking that a tartar sauce should be made and then it appeared!)

    Reply

    • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (11)

      Harper and Annissa Slusher on March 7, 2018 at 9:41 pm

      Thanks so much, Haley! I’ve been on a bit of a condiment kick lately! It’s all about the sauce these days.
      Annissa

      Reply

      • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (13)

        Annissa on July 17, 2019 at 2:46 pm

        Ashley,
        I’m not really a food science expert, so I’m going to go with the standard recommendation of 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
        -Annissa

        Reply

        • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (14)

          Sher on August 4, 2019 at 3:24 pm

          I loved this recipe. I always add a bit of apple cider vinegar or white to tarter sauce as it will keep for up to 2-3 weeks in frig. Sher

          Reply

    • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (15)

      Elaine Keller on August 14, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      I gave up buying prepared Tartar Sauce after the store stopped carrying my usual brand. All the available brands contain added sugar. I don’t sprinkle sugar on my fish to make it taste sweet, so I don’t need a sauce that makes fish taste sweet! (Rant over). I began making my own by tossing a few baby dills and a wedge of onion into my food processor, and then adding mayo. Congratulations on keeping your recipe simple and healthy!

      Reply

      • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (16)

        Annissa Slusher on August 25, 2021 at 9:31 pm

        Thanks, Elaine! It is amazing the foods where manufacturers add sugar.
        –Annissa

        Reply

  2. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (17)

    Stephanie Symonds Alberti on April 3, 2018 at 12:43 am

    Ooh, recipe saved! Thank you! looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply

    • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (18)

      Harper and Annissa Slusher on April 3, 2018 at 3:21 pm

      I hope you enjoy it!
      -Annissa

      Reply

  3. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (19)

    Lucille R Metzger on August 10, 2019 at 8:14 pm

    I add a dash of worchestershire sauce and a squeeze of lemon in mine also.

    Reply

  4. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (20)

    Jamillah Jones on November 27, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    This recipe was so good. I put only ingredients I had on hand, which meant leaving out the dill, yet it was still delicious! A keeper for my seafood dishes and my son can use it as a base for 1000 island dressing.

    Reply

    • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (21)

      Annissa Slusher on November 28, 2019 at 8:59 am

      I hadn’t thought of using it as a base for 1000 island dressing. Two thumbs up for you!
      -Annissa

      Reply

  5. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (22)

    Karlene on July 31, 2020 at 4:32 pm

    This is my go-to tarter sauce – easy to make, easy to adjust serving amounts & best of all, delicious!

    Reply

    • Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (23)

      Annissa Slusher on August 10, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      Yay! I love it when my recipes make it on someones go-to recipe list!
      -Annissa

      Reply

  6. Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (24)

    Helan on April 23, 2022 at 3:33 am

    Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.

    Reply

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Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What ingredients is in tartar sauce? ›

Tartar Sauce Ingredients

It's typically made with mayonnaise, chopped pickles or relish, lemon juice, and herbs (like tarragon and dill). There are also a handful of optional ingredients you can add that take the tartar sauce's flavor to the next level. For example, this recipe includes yellow mustard.

How to make Gordon Ramsay's tartar sauce? ›

Gordon Ramsay Tartar Sauce
  1. Condiments.
  2. • 1 tbsp Capers.
  3. • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard.
  4. • 1 Dill pickle, small.
  5. • 1 tbsp Lemon juice, fresh.
  6. • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise.
  7. • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.

How many days is homemade tartar sauce good for? ›

This easy sauce lasts for about a week when stored in the fridge. We love making a double batch to enjoy it throughout the week. Past that, and you lose the fresh flavor from the lemon.

What is a substitute for tartar sauce? ›

Instead of tartar sauce, use a garlicky aioli with or without a little dill or chopped pickle.

Does tartar sauce contain vinegar? ›

Some of the pickle juice is added to thin the sauce, but feel free to use the same amount of lemon juice. Most recipes call for white vinegar with some sugar added, I like to substitute rice wine vinegar, taking care of both needs there.

What is the real name of tartar sauce? ›

Tartar sauce (French: sauce tartare; spelled tartare sauce in the UK, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries) is a condiment made of mayonnaise, chopped pickles and relish, caper, and herbs such as tarragon and dill.

What is McDonald's tartar sauce made of? ›

According to McDonald's website, the ingredients for the actual tartar sauce that goes on the Filet-O-Fish include soybean oil, pickle relish, calcium chloride, spice extractives, polysorbate 80, egg yolks, water, onions, distilled vinegar, sugar, spice, salt, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, and parsley.

Why does tartar sauce taste so good? ›

The inclusion of lemon juice, dill pickles, and capers ensures that tartar sauce offers an unbelievable kick of tang, above and beyond what sour cream offers. That makes the flavor of the baked potato more dynamic, which is perfect when you want to get a little something more out of a weeknight meal.

What is the flavor profile of tartar sauce? ›

Flavor Enhancement: Tartar sauce provides a burst of flavor that enhances the taste of fish. It typically has a creamy and tangy profile with ingredients like mayonnaise, pickles, capers, onions, and lemon juice.

Can you freeze homemade tartar sauce? ›

NO. I really wouldn't recommend you freeze this homemade tartar sauce recipe. Anything that is mayo or sour cream based isn't going to fare well in the freezer, so just put it in a snug, lidded container in the fridge and you can use it happily for up to two weeks.

Is it OK to eat tartar sauce that was left out overnight? ›

Opened containers of mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish should be kept in the fridge. If they are kept at a temperature of 50 °F or more for longer than eight hours, they should be thrown away, according to FoodSafety.gov.

Can tartar sauce go bad? ›

Tartar sauce can last for about six months.

Opened bottles of tartar sauce should remain good for up to six months as long as they're kept in the refrigerator. If you suspect your tartar sauce is going bad, check the bottle for an expiration date.

Why do people use tartar sauce? ›

Tartar sauce complements the taste of fish and other seafood. It adds a rich, creamy, appearance to the fish, prawns, or other sea foods. It can also be enjoyed with chicken.

Can I use lemon juice instead of cream of tartar? ›

A good replacement for cream of tartar in baking is 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

Why is it called tartar sauce? ›

Why is it called tartar sauce? Tartar sauce originated in France as sauce tartare, named after the Tatars who settled in Ukraine and parts of Russia. The French, in producing this mayonnaise or aioli sauce, may have based the "tartar" moniker upon their spelling of the Tatar name, which was Tartare.

Is tartar sauce healthier than mayo? ›

No.

The classic seafood condiment tartar sauce continues the trend that creamy sauces belong toward the bottom of the list. But, it has less than half the calories per tablespoon as ranch and one-quarter the fat content of mayonnaise.

Is tartar sauce good or bad for you? ›

Eating tartar sauce may promote bone and heart health

But just because it's not the lightest accompaniment doesn't mean it's completely lacking in nutritional benefits. According to Healthline, tartar sauce is relatively low in calories, with two tablespoons adding up to about 63 calories.

Why is tartar sauce healthy? ›

For example, if you put tartar sauce on salmon or another fatty fish, in addition to the vitamin K in the sauce, you'll get vitamin D, which assists in calcium absorption, and omega-3 fatty acids, which may also help bones.

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