Making your own Tartar Sauce has never been easier – or more delicious! Six simple and inexpensive ingredients mix together to create this creamy, boldly flavorful condiment that you’re going to really love having in your refrigerator. Serve it with fish sticks, french fries, and so much more!

Fish sticks are placed by a small white cup of tartar sauce.


Tartar Sauce

Not all tartar sauces are created equal. I’ve had some before that are super bland but have a good consistency, while others are too thick or thin and have good flavor. And the store-bought stuff? That’s all full of preservatives and artificial flavors that I try to keep out of my kitchen when I can help it. This recipe for tartar sauce really is the best, and not just because it’s tasty!

It’s also made with simple, natural ingredients, and has the most perfect consistency and flavor. This is the kind of homemade condiment that I love having ready to go in my kitchen at all times, and not just because of all the fish sticks my family goes through on a weekly basis! Homemade tartar sauce is also delicious with french fries, Crab Cakes, and so much more. Having a bottle of tartar sauce handy in my fridge is always a win!

The ingredients for tartar sauce are unmixed in a white bowl.

How to Make Tartar Sauce

  1. Combine. Place all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and stir to fully combine them.
  2. Chill. Cover and chill the tartar sauce in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour for the best results.
  3. Serve or Store. You can choose to enjoy the tartar sauce after an hour of chilling, or you can store it for later! In an airtight container in the refrigerator, this sauce will stay fresh for up to 1 month.
Tartar sauce has been mixed thoroughly in a white bowl.

Serving Suggestions

Fish sticks and french fries are always the best choices! I really love having a little fun and serving this sauce with some Crispy Baked Goldfish Cracker Fish Sticks. It’s also heavenly when served with homemade Tuna Patties! Next time you make some tasty seafood that are similar to those dishes (or if you just end up using my recipes, which I totally recommend), you’ll be so glad you have this tartar sauce to serve with it. It really levels up the main dish in a crazy way.

Storage

If you happen to have a bottle of some sort to keep this sauce in, plastic or glass, that’s definitely the best! However, I typically find myself storing my tartar sauce in things like Mason jars. As long as the sauce is in a truly airtight container in the refrigerator, it’ll stay fresh! Honestly, if you’re not worried about keeping it cute, you could even keep this stuff in tupperware. You just need to make sure no air can get in, as that will immediately make the sauce go bad and probably create a filmy layer on top. Yuck!

Make it Vegan

Yes, but proceed with caution! I’m a carnivore myself, so the ingredients in this mayo don’t go against my diet. With that being said, if you’d like to enjoy some vegan tartar sauce, go for it! Just substitute the traditional mayo with a vegan alternative, and the Worcestershire with a similar vegan alternative. Plant based stuff is all the rage, so you should be able to find those ingredients pretty easily. While your version might not taste exactly like mine, I bet it’ll still be so good!

Fish sticks and a white bowl of tartar sauce are on a plaid printed plate.

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Fish sticks are placed by a small white cup of tartar sauce.

Get the Recipe: Tartar Sauce Recipe

Creamy, tangy homemade Tartar Sauce recipe is just what you need for your crispy fish sticks, crab cakes or tuna patties. So easy and simple.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • bowl
  • 1 whisk

Instructions 

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Cover and refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight for best results.

Notes

Tartar sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 136mg, Potassium: 6mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg