Homemade Tartar Sauce

A simple tartar sauce recipe for deep fried seafood. With just a few ingredients you can make your own that is better than anything you’d buy!

Have you ever bought a condiment at the grocery store and it just wasn’t quite what you wanted? Too sweet, too salty, too bland. Or maybe, you realize you forgot to pick it up at the grocery store (or the grocery store was out).

Yeah, we’ve all been there. And that is why I’ve started making several of my own condiments.

When you start experimenting more with cooking you begin to realize that many of the things that you buy pre-made are actually really easy to make on your own.

Honey mustard? Excellent and easy to make at home. Aioli? Easy to make and change up flavors to suit your tastes! Tartar sauce is another one of those things that once you start making at home, you’ll never want to buy it again.

One would think that after working 6 years in a seafood restaurant where they served all you can eat fish and chips on Wednesdays that I would want to stay as far away as possible from tartar.

But despite the fact that I ate and on a few occasions, wore, my fair share of this delicious seafood dip, I still believe that no fried fish dinner is complete without it.

And neither do my kiddos.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

When it comes to making your own condiments, you’d be surprised at how many of the ingredients are actually staples in your kitchen. Making homemade BBQ? It’s mostly ketchup, brown sugar and a few seasonings. Homemade cocktail sauce? Ketchup, Worcestershire and garlic salt.

This Tartar Recipe is no different. Most of the ingredients you will already have on hand. To make your own you will need:

Mayonnaise: This is where the creaminess comes from.

Yellow Onion: You’ll want to make sure that it is minced fine. Chunky onions can quickly overpower the dip.

Sweet Pickle Relish: I love the hint of sweetness that it gives to the dip.

Dill Pickles: In contrast to the sweet pickle relish, dill pickles add a nice crunch to the dip as well as a bit of tang from the dill.

Parsley: Just for a bit of freshness.

Dijon Mustard:

Capers: These are my secret must have ingredient for tartar sauce. Their brininess makes the perfect addition.

If there is one ingredient that you need that might not be in your pantry it’s probably the capers.

What are capers?

Personally, I always have capers on hand. Capers are actually the bud of a flower and their briny, saltiness is a favorite around here. I use them in bruschetta, chicken piccata, artichoke tapenade and this recipe.

There are a few different sizes of capers. For this recipe, you’ll want non-peril capers which are the smallest. I find that they work the best for most recipes.

How long will homemade tartar sauce keep?

It should last a couple of days in your refrigerator.

What do you dip in tartar sauce?

Obviously, fried cod  is a favorite around here. As are french fries. It also makes a great topping for fish sandwiches

Other Homemade Condiment Recipes: 

Alabama White BBQ Sauce 

Creamy Ranch Dip 

Honey Mustard Dressing 

Carolina BBQ Sauce

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Note: This post was originally written in 2009. Updated in 2020.