The Best Homemade Tartar Sauce (VIDEO)
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Tartar Sauce is one of my favorite sauces to make home because it tastes better than buying it from the store and is truly restaurant quality! Whip this up in 5 minutes and enjoy!
Watch the Tartar Sauce Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
Homemade Tartar Sauce is always better!
I never buy tartar sauce from the store because making it at home is so easy and the sauce tastes so much better with fresh ingredients! The minced shallot and relish add a nice crunch to the tartar sauce while the fresh herbs and lemon add tons of flavor, perfect with my Air Fryer Fried Fish or Panko Shrimp!
If you love homemade sauces too, try my asian ones like my Chinese Chili Oil (or Chili Crisp), Dumpling Dipping Sauce, and Tonkatsu Sauce! However, my most popular recipes are Raising Cane’s Sauce, Chick-Fil-A Sauce, Homemade BBQ Sauce, and Spicy Mayo!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- mayonnaise – I recommend using a full fat mayo by Best Food’s or Hellman’s for best results. However, you can use the mayo of your preference.
- sweet pickle relish – I like using pickle relish for the convenience and also the slight sweetness it adds to the tartar sauce. If you prefer a less sweet tartar sauce, you can use the relish of your choice.
- fresh dill, chopped – I always recommend using fresh herbs but if you only have dried dill on hand, use ½ teaspoon dried dill.
- minced shallot – The minced shallot adds a subtle sweetness and slight crunch to the tartar sauce that onion powder doesn’t bring. You can also substitute for finely minced yellow onion for a similar effect.
While Tartar Sauce is usually used for fried fish, it’s also amazing with shrimp like Coconut Shrimp, Panko Shrimp, or chicken, like Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders (or Air Fyer Chicken Tenders), or Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets!
It’s also great for roasted vegetables, like Honey Roasted Carrots, Roasted Cauliflower, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts).
How to Make Tartar Sauce at Home
Making any homemade sauce is so easy – simply add all of the ingredients together and mix together until fully combined.
In a bowl add the mayonnaise, relish, dill, shallot, lemon juice, black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until combined. Taste and season with salt to your liking. If you have the time, I highly recommend letting it sit in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the flavors to combine and meld – the tartar sauce will get even better!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Expert Tips + Storage
- I opt for using sweet pickle relish for sweetness and convenience. If you prefer a less sweet tartar sauce, use the relish of your choice.
- The freshly minced shallot and relish adds a subtle sweetness and crunch to the tartar sauce – one element store bought tartar sauces can’t replicate!
- Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Make sure the container is sanitized beforehand and well-sealed to prevent any spoiling.
- Avoid dipping directly into the jar and only use clean utensils – any crumbs or bacteria from food or used utensils will make it go bad faster.
- Make sure to refridgerate any unused sauce to prevent it from spoiling.
If you tried this Tartar Sauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Homemade Tartar Sauce (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup creme fraiche, or sour cream
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried dill)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl add the mayonnaise, creme fraiche, relish, dill, parsley, shallot, lemon zest and juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Optional but highly recommended – let sit in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the flavors to combine.
Video
Notes
- I opt for using sweet pickle relish for sweetness and convenience. If you prefer a less sweet tartar sauce, use the relish of your choice.
- The freshly grated shallot adds a subtle sweetness to the tartar sauce that onion powder doesn’t bring. You can also substitute for grated yellow onion for the same effect.
- Store the Tartar Sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Make sure the container is sanitized beforehand and well-sealed to prevent any spoiling.
- Avoid dipping directly into the jar and only use clean utensils – any crumbs or bacteria from food or used utensils will make it go bad faster.
- Don’t leave the Tartar Sauce out – put it back in the refrigerator after opening or using, as the mayo or buttermilk can lead to it going bad if left out!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best tartar sauce I’ve ever made! The perfect balance of creaminess, tang, crunch and brightness that went so well with my fish sticks!