Tartar Sauce Recipe

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This thick ‘n creamy tartar sauce recipe is made with plenty of tart pickles and fresh dill with a twist of lemon and just a touch of sugar. Just 5 minutes and a handful of ingredients for the easiest homemade tartar sauce!

Goes so well with potato wedges, fish sticks, onion rings, and more!

Tartar Sauce recipe served in a bowl with a lemon wedge this recipe

Let’s face it, store-bought or restaurant tartar sauce is not great—with too-tiny pickles, overly sour and acerbic flavor… not tasty at all. This tartar sauce recipe has just a hint of sweetness to take the edge off the acidity of the pickles, but there’s fresh lemon to keep it zesty and to offset the creamy mayo. In two words, it’s well balanced!

Dipping a fish stick into a bowl of creamy tartar sauce thick with chopped dill pickles and lemon juice

An Easy Recipe for Homemade Tartar Sauce

To make this super easy tartar sauce, all you have to do is stir everything in a bowl! That’s really it.

You’ll find yourself using this homemade tartar sauce to dip everything from fish sticks and onion rings to air fryer french fries and more! You might even end up eating more sauce than apps–it’s that good.

Ingredients in this recipe for tartar sauce in prep bowls including finely chopped dill pickles, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper

Tartar Sauce Recipe Ingredients

  • Mayonnaise – you can use any kind of mayo you’d like, from olive-oil based to vegan and more.
  • Dill pickles – finely chop your pickles or even roughly chop them if you like extra chunky tartar sauce.
  • Lemon juice – you can use more to taste, just make sure to use freshly-squeezed, not bottled for the best flavor
  • Dill or parsley – I highly recommend using fresh here
  • Sugar – with just a hint of granulated sugar, this tartar sauce isn’t too sour or too creamy.
  • Salt and pepper – use freshly ground black pepper and salt for a vibrant taste, but ready-made is fine, too.
Stirring together the ingredients for this easy recipe in a bowl with before and after photos

How to Make Tartar Sauce

  1. Add everything into a bowl and stir well.
  2. If needed, add more salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
  3. Enjoy immediately, or store in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavor to meld. That’s it!

Customizations

You can easily customize this tartar sauce recipe to your liking. Here are a few suggestions for what to add-in. Choose one, then, adjust as needed.

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar
Eating this homemade dipping recipe easy with fried seafood and a lemon wedge.

Tools You Need

What to Serve with Tartar Sauce

Also try my other fabulous sauces: creamy ‘n spicy chipotle aioli, zesty onion ring sauce, garlic lovers’ roasted garlic aioli, better-than-storebought homemade ranch dressing and incredible Asian salad dressing.

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

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This tartar sauce is thick and creamy served in a dip bowl with fried fish sticks and a lemon wedge

Tartar Sauce Recipe

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Description

This thick ’n creamy tartar sauce recipe is made with plenty of tart pickles and fresh dill with a twist of lemon and just a touch of sugar. Just 5 minutes and a handful of ingredients for the easiest homemade tartar sauce!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3/4 cup dill pickles, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice – you can use more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill or fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped (optional, I didn’t use)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except the salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
  2. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add in more lemon juice.
  3. Store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then, serve or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Equipment

  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 min
  • Category: Condiments
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: American

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It’s nice to meet you! Erik and I love sharing easy recipes that are fun & approachable. I love cozy movies, chocolate, big hugs, and being out at sea.

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10 Comments

  1. This homemade tartar sauce was so creamy and tasty! I served it with fish sticks and we all loved it.



    Reply

  2. This might be my favorite tartar sauce recipe I’ve tried, perfectly creamy and lots of flavor! I’ll definitely never make it a different way again 🙂



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  4. Homemade tartar sauce is so easy and SO much better than store bought. Your version is really good – my new go-to! 🙂



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  5. Oh wow, this is my kind of tartar sauce. Fresh ingredients and fresh dill. Looking forward to having this with my next fish dinner.



    Reply