This bright, creamy, and tangy HOMEMADE TARTAR SAUCE is packed with so many flavors and tastes way better than the bottled ones. If you love snacking on fish and chips, salmon cakes, and even sandwiches, this sauce makes the perfect accompaniment!
While game days may not be the same, I’d still want to keep a bottle of tartar sauce in my fridge. Trust me, snacking is my weakness and I always love some dips to go with it (See my favorite Puff Puff paired with African Pepper Sauce).
Then I discovered, no offense, how homemade sauce tastes way far better than the bottled ones. From then on, this gal here never looked back and have been recreating my favorite snack sauces at home for years.
And one of my favorites, and so as my son, is this creamy, tangy with a hint of sweetness Tartar Sauce. I love it as a dip and even as a spread on my favorite sandwiches. I love this homemade sauce coz it’s…
√ Quick
√ Easy
√ Packed with flavor
No one can resist the charm of my easy homemade Tartar Sauce recipe. And you’ll know why. Read along.
What is Tartar Sauce?
Tartar sauce, or also known as Sauce Tartare, is a mayonnaise-based condiment mixed with pickles, lemon juice, capers, and green herbs. Believed to have originated from France, the sauce was served with steak tartare.
Homemade tartar sauce has a textured consistency due to the chopped ingredients that go into it. This creamy, piquant sauce is best paired with crispy Beer Battered Fish with a side of fries or chips and all the other seafood dishes.
Tartar Sauce Ingredients
It may taste like it’s full of complicated ingredients, but actually you don’t need any fancy ingredients to make one. This homemade tartar sauce uses ingredients that are usually readily available from your pantry.
Mayonnaise – this is the base of your sauce. You can use store-bought ones or make your own using this Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe.
Sour Cream – lends a hint of sourness and acts as a thickener for this dip.
Garlic – for that garlicky aroma and flavor that is notable in most sauces or dips.
Relish – chopped relish adds crunch and flavor into the mix. You can use sweet pickle relish for a hint of a sweeter taste.
Buttermilk – this fermented drink adds tanginess and helps with the texture of the sauce. If you don’t have one available, no worries, you can check out my How To Make Buttermilk HERE.
Red Onion – adds sharpness and texture.
Capers – enhances the flavor of the tartar sauce because of its salty taste.
Parsley – balances out the overall flavor with its bright, peppery flavor.
Lemon juice – the juice of lemon adds a zesty, fresh kick, and helps improve the sauce’s texture and consistency.
White Pepper – adds a sharper, peppery bite without the black flecks.
Recipe Variations
Because of its popularity, there are many different versions of tartar sauce. Here are some ingredients that you can add to create a flavor profile that suits your tastebud.
Herbs – fresh or dried, herbs like dill and tarragon are popular choices.
Condiments – Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and Tabasco maybe unusual additions but they give a wonderful balance to salty, sour, sweet, and spicy.
Horseradish – when grated, this pungent root vegetable adds spice to condiments
Gherkins – these are small cucumbers that are often pickled and bottled.
How Long Does Homemade Tartar Sauce Last?
Ditch the bottled ones. Coz this Tartar Sauce actually lasts up to seven (7) days when stored properly in the refrigerator. Just make sure to store it in a jar or anything with a lid to keep it fresh.
What to Serve With Tartar Sauce?
With its tart, kinda sweet and savory punch, this homemade tartar can be served with just about anything! Here we have a list of recipes that goes well with this creamy condiment.
More Sauce Recipes To Try
Want to explore other homemade sauces to add to your stash of condiment? Check these ones below.
How To Make Tartar Sauce
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, sweet relish, buttermilk, red onions, capers, parsley, lemon juice, and white pepper. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste with additional lemon juice and/or salt. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to be used. Tightly cover with plastic wrap or place in a jar, for up to a week, for best results.
Homemade Tartar Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish or chopped relish
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2-3 tablespoons red onion , diced
- 1 tablespoon capers , drained and minced
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley , minced
- ½ lemon , juiced
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, sweet relish, buttermilk, red onions, capers, parsley, lemon juice, and white pepper.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste with additional lemon juice and/or salt.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to be used.
- Tightly cover with plastic wrap or place in a jar, for up to a week, for best results.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Betsey says
Question…
I just finished making this and it is quite “soupy”. Is there anything I can do or increase to make it thicker?
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Betsey! Hmmm… it may be your mayonnaise’s consistency? Some mayonnaise are thinner than others.
Douglas Battjes says
Boy I love your recipes,,,,everything is so good,,,your going to make me have to work out more..
Stoney
Emerr says
Great recipe
imma africanbites says
Thank you. It sure is.