This Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce recipe is so simple to make, and so delicious that you may never want the store-bought stuff again!
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Why Make Your Own?
The number one reason for making this easy tartar sauce recipe: it's just simply delicious. Nothing from the store can compare.
Secondly, it takes 5 minutes to make. It's great to whip up a small batch while your Air Fryer Salmon is cooking. You will also love tartar sauce with other seafood recipes, like Cajun Crab Cakes or Salmon Cakes .
Finally, this recipe contains only a few simple ingredients that you possibly already have in your kitchen.
What Are The Ingredients?
- Mayonnaise For best results use full-fat, real mayonnaise.
- Capers Capers are actually the tiny flower buds of the caper bush, which is native to the Mediterranean. They have a salty/sour taste that works perfectly in tartar sauce. If you don't have capers, you can substitute a finely chopped dill pickle.
- Lemon Juice Real lemon juice is essential.
- Fresh Dill Fresh dill really shines here, but if you don't have it, go ahead and used dried dill.
- Dried Onion Dried flaked onion, or onion powder is perfect because you won't need to cut a whole onion for the small quality required for the recipe.
How To Make It
Simply combine all the ingredients, then keep it in the fridge in a covered container until you're ready to use it. It's that easy!
FAQs
If you don't have capers, you can finely chop a dill pickle. Your tartar sauce won't be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious.
Substitute 1 tsp of dried dill for the fresh dill. Tip: you can also add a tsp of dill pickle juice instead.
This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes! This recipe makes a small batch, but if you can easily double the recipe if you want more.
Recipe Tips
- Homemade tartar sauce is delicious enough to use right away but even better if you can store it in the fridge for an hour before using it.
- Make sure your ingredients are cold. Tartar sauce is best when it's chilled.
- Taste and add more capers and or dill, if you choose.
- You can also add a dash of hot sauce, like tabasco if you want a bit more zing.
- Store homemade tarter sauce in a glass jar with a lid. A half-pint jar is the perfect size.
How To Enjoy It:
Homemade tartar sauce is delicious for many things other than just fish! Use it for dipping vegetables, spreading on burgers, or any of these:
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and share how it went in the comments below. Your feedback is important and helpful!
Recipe
Homemade Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup real mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp capers chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 tbsp dried onion flakes or onion powder
- ½ lemon juice and zest
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Homemade tartar sauce is delicious enough to use right away, but even better if you can store it in the fridge for an hour before using it.
- Make sure your ingredients are cold. Tartar sauce is best when it's chilled.
- Taste your finished sauce and add more capers and or dill, if you would like.
- You can also add a dash of hot sauce, like tabasco, if you want a bit more zing.
- Store homemade tarter sauce in a glass jar with a lid. A half-pint jar is the perfect size.
So much more flavour than store-bought tartar sauce! This is a keeper recipe!
So happy that you loved it, Elaine! Thanks for letting me know.
I made this homemade tartar sauce and it was one of the best tartar sauces I ever tried. I highly recommend it!
Hi Enriqueta. I'm super happy to know this. Thanks so much for coming back to share!
Tartar sauce is one of my nephew's favorite. What perfect timing — my nephew’s birthday is this coming weekend and I'm in charge of the party's menu. Will try your recipe for sure!
Hi Natalia, I hope you'll let me know how it turns out! Happy Birthday to your nephew!
Capers are so underrated. I'm so glad you've added them to this tartar sauce. This is a great recipe to have on hand.
Thanks Cindy. Capers are delicious in this tartar sauce!
I've always wanted to know how to make tartar sauce. This turned out great. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
You're welcome, Amy! So happy it turned out great!
I did not know tartar sauce was so easy to make! This was an excellent accompaniment to our battered fish.
This is probably the only way you'd get me to try tartar sauce - the capers are a genius add-in!
Hi Karen, the capers make the recipe, for sure! I hope you give it a try!
it mind sound silly but I have never tried tarter sauce. I am craving to make your recipe now.
Hi Gunjan, not silly at all! I hope you love it!
I’ve never made my own tartare sauce before. Thank you so much for this recipe and for making it so easy, I’ll probably never buy it again.
You're so welcome, Ramona! I'm so happy that you loved it!
This is a perfect tartar sauce. It was absolutely delicious with our freshly caught fish fry the other night. We ate it all!
Hi Bernice, I'm super happy to hear this! Thanks for letting me know!
This recipe looks so delicious! I've never thought of making my own tartar sauce! I love the addition of capers. Bet it adds so much flavor. I'm pinning this recipe to save for the next time I make fish. Thank you!
Hi Chelsea! The capers really make the recipe. Enjoy!
I have been making basically all other sauces at home myself, so why have I never thought to make homemade tartar sauce??? This is genius! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
You're very welcome, Cathleen!
I LOVE tartar sauce with fish. Such an easy recipe and so flavourful
So happy that you liked it, Beth!
This is restaurant quality tartar sauce. I cannot wait to make it for my family and friends.
Hi Mirlene! I hope you love it!
I had no idea tartar sauce was this easy to make, I can never find it where I live in Spain, my hubby will be so excited when I surprise him with it!
Hi Deirdre! I hope you and your husband enjoy it!