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Creamy homemade tartar sauce garnished with fresh dill in a glass bowl, served with crispy golden fries.
Maryam

Tartar Sauce

Creamy, tangy homemade tartar sauce that beats anything from a jar - perfect for fish and chips, crab cakes, or as a zesty sandwich spread.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Calories: 125
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tartar Sauce
  • 1 cup mayonnaise good quality, not light
  • 2 tbsp dill pickle relish well drained
  • 1 tbsp capers drained and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill minced, or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 0.25 tsp salt or to taste

Equipment

  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk or Spoon

Method
 

Make the Sauce
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and well combined.
  2. Stir in the drained pickle relish, chopped capers, minced dill, and parsley. Fold everything together until evenly distributed throughout the mayonnaise base.
  3. Add the black pepper and salt, then taste and adjust. The sauce should be tangy, slightly briny, and well-balanced. Add more lemon juice for brightness or salt to taste.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. The sauce will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

For the best texture, squeeze excess liquid from your pickle relish with paper towels before adding - watery sauce is nobody's friend. No fresh herbs? Use 1 teaspoon dried dill and skip the parsley, though fresh really makes a difference. This sauce actually improves after a day in the fridge, so make it ahead for your fish fry.