Name: Tasty Homemade Tartar Sauce
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup real mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish, (drain away some juice, but not all); 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper; 1/2 large lemon

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Forget the store-bought stuff or waiting until you go to your favorite fish house to enjoy cool and creamy tartar sauce. You can make the BEST at home in just 5 minutes with ingredients you probably already have! This zippy Homemade Tartar Sauce recipe is extra creamy, tangy and loaded with crunch from just the right amount of onions and pickles.

Homemade tartar sauce is not just mayonnaise, but a sweet/savory mayo-based dipping sauce flavored with pickles, onions, garlic, lemon and Worcestershire sauce.

What is Tartar Sauce?

Many people ask if Tartar Sauce is just mayonnaise. It isn’t! It’s a sweet and savory mayo-based fish and seafood dipping sauce made with pickles, onions, garlic, lemon and Worcestershire sauce.

RELATED RECIPES: Louisiana Remoulade Sauce, Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Made right, classic Tartar Sauce has loads of flavor and is the perfect partner for fried catfish, white perch, salt water fish, shrimp, crab, salmon and all your favorite seafood dinners (that even includes fish sticks). I love to dip my French fries, onion rings and cornbread hush puppies in it too!

You’re Going to Love Serving Homemade Tartar Sauce With:

Tartar sauce is made of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, onions, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper & Worchestershire sauce.

Classic Tartar Sauce Recipe Ingredients

real mayonnaise
sweet pickle relish
yellow onion
Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder
fresh lemon juice
salt & coarse ground black pepper

Making homemade tartar sauce is easy using common kitchen ingredients and only takes about 5 minutes.

How To Make Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce for Fish & Seafood

Making this sauce couldn’t be any easier, but the taste benefits are off the charts! I’m not kidding when I say the store bought stuff can’t touch it!

Measure & Dice. Measure out the ingredients and dice the onion.

Mix & Chill. Stir it all together and chill in the fridge before serving. That’s it!

Pro tip for creating the best flavor in tartar sauce.

Tartar sauce is a classic fish and seafood condiment that's easy to make.

Recipe Variations & Add-Ins

Because we love a chunky tartar sauce with lots of crunch, I sometimes finely dice a few sweet pickles to add to the relish.
Add a little fresh dill, parsley, or chives for more herby flavor.
If your prefer dill pickles over sweet, use a dill relish. Most recipes that use dill relish also add 1 teaspoon sugar to their recipe.
Looking for an extra punch of savory flavor? Think about adding a teaspoon Dijon mustard.

Tartar sauce is perfect for dipping fish, shrimp, seafood, even french fries, crab cake and salmon patties.

Making It Ahead & Storing Tartar Sauce

Homemade tartar sauce is ideal for making in advance because the flavors only become more intense with time. Make this sauce 1-2 days before your big fish fry to serve a winning sauce!

This tartar sauce recipe usually lasts 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator if kept covered. However, if it’s served at a shrimp boil or fish fry and has sat outside for any length of time, it shouldn’t be served again.

Make homemade tartar sauce and let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before serving for best results.

More Delicious Sauces You’ll Love