Homemade Tartar Sauce

Homemade tartar sauce with mayonnaise, dill pickles, capers, and more. It's quick, easy to make, and much better than anything you can buy in a jar! Serve it with fish or crab cakes.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 26, 2021
Elise Bauer
Homemade Tartar Sauce
Elise Bauer

Confession time. I am a lover of tartar sauce.

I think the seafood eating world is divided into two camps: those who enjoy tartar sauce with their fish, and those who will have nothing to do with it. I am happily in the first camp and love nothing better than a fish fillet served with a slice of lemon, some tartar sauce and, of course, coleslaw.

Not all bottled tartar sauces are created equally, however. It's really hit or miss out there in the prepared tartar sauce world. So, I've made my own homemade tartar sauce.

And you know what? It's good! Really! (Assuming you like tartar sauce to begin with. Otherwise, move along, this one's not for you.)

What Are the Ingredients in Tartar Sauce?

This tartar sauce starts with a base of mayonnaise. To that we mix in chopped dill pickles and capers, Dijon mustard, chopped shallots and scallions, Tabasco hot sauce and lemon juice.

That's it! It's the easiest thing ever to put together and your own freshly made tartar sauce will always taste a million times better than anything you can buy packaged at the store.

A bowl of tartar sauce
Elise Bauer

How to Make Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce couldn't be easier to make. You just put all the ingredients into a bowl, stir them together and voilà! You are good to go.

How Long Does Tartar Sauce Keep?

To store tartar sauce, keep it covered and chilled in the refrigerator. It should easily last a week or longer.

Here Are 5 Ways to Use Your Tartar Sauce:

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Servings 12 servings
Yield 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

  • 1 teaspoon capers, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 teaspoons chopped shallots

  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 6 drops Tabasco sauce, or more to taste

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Combine ingredients:

    In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, capers, Dijon mustard, shallots, scallions, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
128 Calories
14g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 128
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 273mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 26mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.