Another homemade condiment to add to your fridge. It's creamy, tangy and ready in 10 minutes. Perfect to slather on hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches, as a dipping sauce for fries, fish sticks and onion rings, or to serve with gravlax or poached salmon. It's incredibly easy and can be adjusted to your palate.
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A versatile vintage condiment
This easy tartar sauce recipe has been a part of my life for decades, and it's one of the condiments I remember my family making at home.
And as with many condiments and homemade sauces, it's simply a matter of mixing and some chopping. You'll never settle for the store-bought version again.
Making them at home is a game-changer, and I highly recommend you try having a few different jars in the fridge at all times. For me, that's BBQ sauce, this fantastic and quick garlic aioli, and my coveted and versatile chimichurri recipe.
Top tips to consider
- Finely chop but don't process completely. This sauce has some texture, so I like to do it by hand.
- Adjust ingredients to your palate, so it's as salty or tangy as you want it. Whether you want a more briny flavor or extra tang, don't be afraid to add more pickles or mustard, less yogurt, more salt, or even use sweet pickles for a sweeter sauce. But start with small quantities; you can easily add but not subtract.
What to serve with tartar sauce
- Baked, smoked or cured salmon (gravlax).
- Cold seafood platter and cold favorite seafood dishes, especially shrimp.
- Onion rings.
- Burgers and hot dogs.
- Potato salad is a classic, as is potato egg salad.
- Salmon or crab cakes.
- Fish sticks.
- French fries, baked potato wedges or sweet potato fries.
How to make tartar sauce
Chop or process
You can do it by hand or with a food processor (I use the small bowl of the immersion blender). Be careful not to turn it into a paste, unless that's what you want. Tartar sauce is traditionally somewhat chunky.
Mix and taste
Stir in the rest of the ingredients. This is the moment to taste and adjust to your palate.
Storing: keep it refrigerated for up to a week in a mason jar or glass container with a tight-fitting lid. I don't recommend freezing it.
Substitution for regular mayonnaise and yogurt: add a vegan alternative or use low-fat mayo. The flavor will be different, and you might need to adjust the seasonings.
Variations: add dill relish or some other type of pickled vegetables. Some people like to serve it with chopped hard-boiled eggs. Add a dash of hot sauce for a spicier option. Use all mayo instead of yogurt (it will be heavier).
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Tartar Sauce (10-minute recipe)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup chopped dill pickles or gherkins, or other pickled cucumbers
- ⅓ cup chopped shallot, or yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ½ cup natural yogurt, Greek yogurt is good
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix ⅓ cup chopped dill pickles or gherkins with ⅓ cup chopped shallot, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. If using a food processor, don't turn them into a paste; it's good to have some texture. You can chop 1 tablespoon capers or leave them whole.
- Stir in ½ cup natural yogurt, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust to your palate.
- Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for 2 weeks.
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